Attraction
by deluce
Summary: When twelve boys and twelve girls are placed into an arena and given weapons, with the thoughts of kill or be killed, who will survive and who will perish The Hunger Games? CADE Rated: T Disclaimer I don't own Victorious or The Hunger Games! WARNING CHARACTER DEATHS! this is not a cross over it's an AU Please R
1. Chapter 1

_**A/N: **__This is my first AU fic. I wanted to combine The Hunger Games and Victorious, this isn't a cross over; all the characters in this fiction will either be made up by me or be from __Victorious. I just wanted to use the idea of The Hunger Games- it is set in Panem, and the charters will be from the different districts, but I will put my own spin on things that happen in this story. Disclaimer I don't own Victorious or The Hunger Games!__ I hope you enjoy._

**1**

It was the morning of the reaping, and a thick silence hung over District 12, it was a day that we dreaded, for us; it was a day when we would lose two of our citizens, to the cruel, sport known as '_The Hunger Game's'. _It was a cold foggy day, the air was damp and you could smell the moss on the trees and the mud on the ground as you walked out of your door, the ground was soft to walk on. Few birds sung in their trees, worms and slugs slithered along the cold wet ground.

I wore a white blouse, and a black skirt, accompanied by a pair of black dolly shoes and some skin coloured tights-although they were a lot darker than my naturally pale complexion. My brother- though he was much too young to enter The Hunger Games- would go to The Reaping with me and my mum. I was the only one, from our small family, who fit the age category to be entered into the annual _'game'. _

I held onto my brothers hand, his tiny fingers curled partly around my hand-while mine wrapped all the way around his-they were cold, and clammy, Taylor looked up at me, his green eyes filling with tears "Jade" he whimpered "It'll be okay right?" I squeezed his hand lightly, nodded and smiled as best I could.

"Sure it will. Everything will be fine. I promise" I lied- everything wouldn't be fine my name would be in the dish for the girls twenty times this year- due to me being sixteen and then having to put my name down for tesserae because me mum and Taylor don't have much money or food, I guess the quote usually spoken didn't really apply to me '_May the odds be eve__r in your favour'. _Kind of hard really isn't it? And the promise, that, well I didn't know if I would be to keep it or not. But I didn't let on to him I truly terrified and worried I was. I couldn't.

We walked down to The Reaping, my mother had a dead pan expression on her face, it was unreadable there was no sure fire way to decipher the emotion she was feeling. Once we got to the reaping ceremony, the boys and girls were separated; I joined the group of the girls, scanning all the faces for people that I knew, some of us gave each other sympathetic smiles- what more was there to do? In each of the sections, I saw fresh young faces of twelve year old children, who could very well be put into the arena to fight against other children.

I turned my head to face the stage, a tall woman, with bright blue hair shuffled onto it she was a product straight from the capitol her eyes, where as bright as her hair- obviously they too had been dyed. She was thin, very thin- her legs where the same width all the way up. Her eyes stuck out of her head, and she had a black crescent moon tattoo that arched around her right eye.

Sat on a chair on the stage next to the mayor, was a man, a balding man, who had a friendly face. This was Erwin Sikowitz- he seemed slightly insane but he _had _competed in The Hunger Games, not only had he competed he was the only person from District 12 to ever have won them- this man no matter how unstable he seemed, would be the tributes trainer. The woman with the blue hair tapped the microphone in front of her, and gave a welcome speech.

"Hello, and welcome to the beginning of the 74th annual Hunger Games. My name is Bernadette Peters" she was new; she wasn't the usual woman who did the reaping-she had been promoted to a bigger and better District. Her voice went through me, it was truly grating, high pitch and whiney. She then went on to show us the video that was shown to us annually. It was a sickening video. Yet at the end of it she did the same shuffle to the microphone as before, and had the biggest and brightest smile I had ever seen on her face.

"Shall we start then? Ladies first" she chimed, reaching her hand into the bowl; she twiddled the names around slightly, before pulling out a piece of paper. There was a moments silence as she opened the folded paper, the only thing that could be heard in that split second, were the birds tweeting, and the leaves on trees rustling.

"Jadelyn West!" I caught my breath, I could feel my heart beating against my rib cage, like it was trying to break out; I could feel the bile rising in my throat my whole body trembled. I stepped forwards, and walked onto the stage, where the woman stood smiling at me, idiotically. I glared at her, for no more than a second, before I turned my eyes to the crowd of people, most of the faces I recognised while I was up here; I looked out to the back of the crowd, and saw my mum and Taylor, gripping onto each other, tears in their eyes.

"And now for the boys" she was still smiling, she reached over and pulled the name out of the bowl, opened the paper, her nails catching on it "Robert Shapiro!" she called, my heart thudded again, I knew this boy, I knew this boy very well, we were close friends. He was a scrawny boy, fairly tall, he wore thick rimmed glasses, and his eyes were dark, they were like two lumps of coal stuck in his head, his hair was curly, and shaggy. Once he reached the stage, he stood on the other side of the overly enthusiastic woman "Shake hands you two come on" she put her hand on my back, and did the same with Robbie, gently pushing us closer, as we gripped each other's hand, I squeezed his. It felt the way Taylors had, cold and clammy.

We were whisked off into a small building known as 'The Justice Building', we had a separate room each, this is where we would wait for our friends and families to say good bye. They didn't have long with us, which I find appalling, for some of the tributes- twenty three of them to be exact, this will be the last time they see their friends and family. The room was small; there wasn't much in it, a small square table, a sofa, and a bin at the far end of the room it was placed right in the corner.

My mum and brother burst through the door, both of them wrapped their arms around me. I could feel my mum sobbing into my neck, her tears, rolling off my skin. And Taylor, he just clung to me leg, crying into my tights. "It'll be okay… You'll be okay" she whispered to me.

"How can you be sure" I whimpered, quiet, only just loud enough so that she could hear me "Twenty four mum, twenty four _children_" I put a huge amount of emphasis on the word children, because at the end of the day, that's what we were "And only one will come out" it was hard for me to not be pessimistic.

She swallowed hard, I heard her gulp, "You'll be fine" she repeated firmly, to me it seemed more like she was saying this to keep herself calm, like she didn't actually truly believe it, but it was evident that she wanted to. I bent down quickly and hugged Taylor.

He looked at me, his green eyes glossy with crying "I've told you everything will be fine, okay I promised you, and I keep my promises" I choked on my tears as I said this to him "I'll win it for you" I looked him in the eye and rephrased what I had just said "I'll try to win it for you". And with that, they were escorted out of the room, I was left alone again. The bile once again crept its way up my throat; I ran to the bin, releasing the vomit, it burned the back of my oesophagus; I sat crouched in front of the bin, breathing heavily.

The door was pulled open, and I was marched down to the car that would take me from the small room of the justice building to the train station- there it would be riddled with cameras, people filming us, letting the public see us, letting them get to know us. I wouldn't cry once I got there, I refuse to let them see me as a weak child from District 12.

Once we got to the train station, we have to stand to let the cameras soak everything up about us, like walking sponges. I try to keep my breathing steady, I look straight forward, not at the camera men and women, more like through them trying to ignore their existence. But it's hard as they call you, trying to get your attention, for their camera.

Once on the train, it speeds away, the initial velocity of the train makes me catch my breath; I had never experienced anything like it. We are shown to separate rooms, where we have our own beds, our own bath rooms with running water, both hot and cold, and the drawers are filled with clothes made of the finest materials. Bernadette tells me that I am to treat this room as I would my actual room back home, I can do what I want and wear what I want, everything is for me to use. But I have to be ready to eat supper within an hour.

I take a quick shower, letting the hot water run down my body, I soak everything up, the way the water feels, the way the soaps smell, I use the shower, like it will wash away what has happened, like it will make everything better, even though I know it won't.

I dress quickly, putting on a pair of trousers and a black shirt, I tie my hair up, Bernadette comes to collect me, to escort me down to supper I follow her down the long narrow corridor, to the dining room. Robbie sits at the table alone.

"Where is Erwin?" she demanded in her irritating voice. Robbie shrugs. She rolls her eyes and sits opposite him, while I take the seat next to him, giving him a friendly smile. Supper comes in courses; it's by far the finest food I have ever seen. We don't have things like this is District 12. There were thick soups, fresh salads, and amazing rich meats. I pile my plate high and eat quickly, not exactly tasting the food, I was just happy to be eating something other than the usual small bird. Bernadette chuckles, lightly; she seems nice- other than her enthusiasm towards the games.

Once supper is done, we are lead to another room where we watch the recap of the day; this will be shown throughout all of the districts, so that everyone gets a chance to see the other tributes.

It is just starting and we see the first tributes the ones from District 1; otherwise known as career tributes- these people live for The Hunger Games. The children are trained from a young age, and it is seen as a privilege to compete. The same goes for the tributes from 2 and 4

The woman on the stage for district one had bright green poker straight hair, and bright orange lips, that look like they belong on a trout, and her nose is thin. The way her face looks is obviously the product of plastic surgery, I can't believe in the capitol this is thought of as attractive.

She gives her welcome speech which is very close to the one Bernadette gave us. She dips her spindly fingers into the dish pulling out the first name "Caterina Valentine" even if you couldn't see the district she was from, with the sound of her name; you would know it was one of the rich ones.

A small girl makes her way onto the stage; she has bright red hair- obviously dyed- that flows down her head onto her shoulders in thick curls. She has big brown eyes and full lips, she's a pretty girl, no scratch that, she's beautiful; it was hard not to look at the screen when she was on it. I couldn't take my eyes off of her, and Robbie seemed to be having the same problem.

She had a huge smile on her face, showing off a small dimple in her left cheek. She seemed truly happy to be there. She was young that much was obvious- maybe one of the youngest tributes to be picked from a career district, I was shocked to see that no one volunteered for her; it was the norm for the eighteen year olds to want to volunteer, so they could have the pride, but for this girl, no one offered to take her place.

The camera panning off of her was the only thing that stopped me looking at her, the woman put her hand in the dish full of the boy's names; "Beckett Oliver" she chimed, again his name was like hers it sounded rich, old fashioned. A tall boy with cinnamon coloured skin walked onto the stage, he had black hair, and brown eyes that shined, his clothes wrapped around his abs. He too stood smiling the two of them shook hands friendlily and they seemed to share a silent private joke.

They were two of the most attractive people I had ever seen, the way the stood, there smiles, everything about them was charismatic, and beautiful. The scene of District 1 was gone, and now we found ourselves looking at District 2. I couldn't get the tributes of District 1's faces out of my mind. But strangely, it was the girl who I had a stronger attraction to, the small girl, with the big brown eyes and the bright red hair, who had looked over her District with a great sense of pride.

_**A/N: **__Hope you like this chapter; __this is going to be a Cade Fic, with some Rade friendship (also friendship bet__ween Tori, Andre, Beck and Cat). I warn you now there__** will**__ be character __**deaths**__. Please read and review tell me what you think; I appreciate all comments and opinions (good or bad)_


	2. Chapter 2

**2**

The recap of the day had ended, they played the anthem and the seal of Panem flashed on the screen before it turned black, shutting its self -down with a low hum. We had seen all twenty four of the tributes being called; they started in District 1 and made their way down to District 12- I was able to see my reaction to being named at The Reaping, how everyone could see my body jerk forward slightly with fear- very few of the other tributes stuck out in my mind.

There was a dark skinned boy from District 4 he was quite muscular ( I hadn't expected any less from the career tributes) he was of an average height, and once again, he was a good looking boy- I vaguely remember his name; Andre…_ something._ The girl from his District was a thin girl, with an amazing cheek bone structure; she had long dark hair and bronze skin, her name was Victoria, again she was an attractive person, they definitely had faces that would stand out in a crowd.

A small boy from district 10, he looked about twelve, he would be one of the youngest in the competition. He had ginger hair and a face full of freckles, his eyes were a piercing green, and he walked slowly onto the stage, tears glistening in his eyes. The only thing I could remember about the girl from his district was that she had been a tall, and plump.

A boy with black hair and brown eyes from district 2 who volunteered to take the place of his younger brother (I felt it was more because he wanted the pride of competing rather than actually caring) he smiled when he was on the stage, a smile that had a hint of a snarl to it, he was very animal like; he put me in mind of a grizzly bear, in both size and demeanour, he was called Ryder. The girl from his district had blonde hair and brown eyes, she had a pointed nose and thin lips, there wasn't a blemish or a freckle in sight on her face, her skin looked perfect and smooth.

And then there's the two tributes from District 1; the small red headed girl and the tall dark haired boy; both of them ridiculously good looking. The other tributes, were just bodies, with no faces in my mind, all I remember about them is that they would be part of the games.

I realised I was daydreaming, thinking about the other tributes, I pulled myself out of it, blinking my eyes harshly as I did. I looked up to see Bernadette staring at me; one of her eye brows arched. I smiled at her, and as I did Erwin Sikowitz (Who hadn't been seen since the reaping) bounded through the door, with a beaming smile on his face. He was bare foot and wore a jumper with a thin scarf and a pair of white trousers, nothing about his outfit matched.

"What did I miss?" He asked, sitting down next to me, grinning like a madman.

"Supper and the recap of The Reaping" Robbie replied, looking around my body so he could see Erwin.

"Oh… Was the food good?" he leant forward, and rested his elbows and his knees placing his head on his hands. It shocked me slightly that he was more interested in the food than the tributes that we would be fighting against. Robbie and I both nodded in answer to his question. "Good" he said "I'm glad you liked it, the food is always good" I smiled at him-I wasn't able to not smile at him. He was definitely insane.

"I think there are more important things at hand don't you Erwin?" asked Bernadette sharply "Like the competition, you should be focusing on the two of them, not the food!" Erwin just looked up at her, a blank expression on his face. She let out a puff of air before turning on her heel and shuffling to bed. He smiled and turned his face back to me and Robbie "So the other tributes?" he asked "Any of them worry you?" I realised the way he had just acted was to get her out of the room, so he could speak to us in private.

"Yeah" I replied, he gave me a questioning look, silently asking which ones "all of them" I added, shaking my head slightly.

"It's the boy from 2 with me" said Robbie awkwardly, furrowing his eyebrows.

"Why?" asked Erwin to the both of us.

"Well, he's huge… Gigantic even, he's from District 2!" said Robbie still looking around me to see Erwin, Robbie had put a huge amount of emphasis on _District 2_, as if it somehow changed things.

"And what does that matter, he is only a threat if he is good with weapons" Erwin said calmly, looking into Robbie's eyes "The same goes to you… Don't be scared of them, it just makes you an easier target" he placed a light hand on my shoulder. It was nice to know that we could somewhat depend on him throughout the games. I smiled at him. He turned his attention to the black screen, leaving the conversation there. Robbie sat back, resting his head on the back of the sofa.

I let out a yawn, covering my mouth with the back of my hand, "I'm going to bed" I said standing up, and walking away from the two boys who had sat on either side of me. I walked to my bedroom, the rain rocking gently as I walked. I opened the door to my room and flicked on the lights. I took another look around me; soaking in all the luxuries we had been given. I walked to the window of the train, and watched as Panem flew past me, lights blurring due to the speed of the train. Everything looked so nice and peaceful.

I stood and thought about the country of Panem for a while, about the other tributes, and how they were feeling right now; and most importantly about their families, twenty three families would be broken by the end of the event, and twenty three lives would be lost. I thought about my mum and Taylor, and how they would be at home, waiting to see my fate. I also thought about my dad, where ever he was; he had left my mum just before Taylor was born, he had moved to one of the other districts, which one I didn't know; I wondered if he was thinking about me now.

Tears began to burn my eyes slightly, but I sucked them up, refusing to cry over him. I walked to my drawers and pulled them open. I looked through the night clothes for a while, but there was nothing that I liked. Instead I decided to strip down into my underwear, I felt comfier like this anyway; more at ease. I climbed into my bed sinking into the thick luscious mattress, the duvet was warm I pulled it up to my shoulders and snuggled in; I had never felt comfort like it. We didn't have things like this back in District 12. I took a deep breath in threw my nose and out of my mouth.

I closed my eyes and let the train rock me back and forth into a peaceful slumber.

Bright sunlight burst through the window as I wake up to the sound of knocking on my door "Rise and shine!" called Bernadette, her voice chipper. I squinted at the door; the light from the window was messing with my eyes.

I sat up; the cover dropping to my waist, despite the sun shining through the window, goose bumps began to surface on my bare skin. I rubbed my eyes, trying to get the sleep out of them. I got out of bed and dressed in a black skirt and a red long sleeved top that I had found in the drawers. I looked at myself in the mirror, the curls in my hair still hung down neatly; I left them the way they looked. I studied the way I currently looked, knowing that by tonight, in the opening ceremonies I would look completely different.

I walked down to the dining car slowly; I didn't really want to spend any more time on this train. I entered the dining car and was greeted by a smiling Erwin "Hey, Jade!" he chimed, he seemed…Happy.

I smiled and gave him a friendly nod; I sat next to him like I had last night Bernadette and Erwin sat opposite us. The moment I am in my seat I was served my food, huge piles were being placed in front of me, I stuffed my face with the food, in District 12 we never got to eat like this, our food wasn't as nice, and when we did eat, it was only small portions.

I drained every cup/glass of liquid I was given, tasting the sweet juices of the fruit was refreshing and awakening. I turned to face Erwin "So I am told that you are supposed to be helping us through this" I said looking at him.

His eyes meet mine and he holds my gaze for a long while before he even starts speaking "What do you mean exactly?" he asked.

"Can we have some help?" I shrugged. He looked between Robbie and me.

"Learn how to use a weapon… And fast" he said, before I could reply, he stood and left the car. The area around us suddenly grew dark- we were in the tunnel that leads to the Capitol. It seemed to go on forever. The dark finally grew light again, and I looked through the window, seeing many of the capitol's citizens waving and cheering as the train went past them. I waved and smiled, cheering back ironically.

The prep team are rough with me, they tug at my eyebrows I suck in the air through my teeth "Sorry" chimes the plump white haired woman for what seems like the 100th time. She speaks the same way Bernadette does, it's annoying, and I have been putting up with it for the best part of an hour. "I'm nearly done now" she said, her tone was patronising when she said it.

She plucked out the last bits and moved around to face me, studying me features. "Your stylist will be up here shortly she says" before waddling out of the room, leaving me sitting alone in the overly warm room with the area around my eyes stinging.

My stylist walks through the door, he's a tall man, with short blonde hair, his eye are a bright shade of blue, he has thin lips, and a small nose, he's not bad looking but he isn't outstanding. "Hello Jade, I'm Harley. I'm your stylist" his voice is deep, and smooth, not like the other voices I have heard so far.

"Hello" I reply waving my hand once. He circles me, taking in every inch of my body.

"I like you're hair" he says "The curls, so natural, and soft, they look well on you" I notice, when he looks at my face, he takes more notice of my eyes than anything else, "You're eyes are exceptionally green" he said. He claps his hands together and then walks away sitting at the other end of the room to me.

"As you know, you are to be dressed in something that represents your District" he says- I think back to the other times I had seen the opening ceremony and the things our tributes had been dressed they were always so ostentatious and tasteless. "My partner, Maria will be Robbie's stylist; we want to dress you so you will match"

I sit, taking in what he is saying, but it isn't really of interest to me. I'm just hoping we won't look ridiculous, I would like to try and keep my dignity. He looked at me absorbing everything about me once more before saying "District 12- the coal mining district" he smiled slightly "I'm thinking fire" I looked at him and arched an eyebrow not sure where he was going with this. I chewed on my lip nervously.

The way I looked wasn't bad. My makeup had been done, thickly, I had heavy eyeliner on my eyes, and red, orange and yellow eye shadows that had been merged together to look like flames. Even in my black hair, I had had red bits that had been added, and curled; I had red lipstick on to match the red parts of my hair. I studied my face for a while, I looked completely different, my skin looking as pale as ever, contrasted well with the bright makeup.

I looked down to notice what I was wearing, It was a black dress, that was long in the back and short in the front, the back ruffled, my shoes were red and heeled, "I thought you said we were going with fire?" I asked looking at Harley.

"In due time" he replied before walking to the door, holding it open for me

I met up with Robbie to walk down to the chariots; he looked good, he was in a black suit, the back of the jacket was a long one, he accompanied this with a black shit, a silky red cravat was around his neck, his usual black glasses had been changed for some red ones.

"Whoa" said Robbie when he saw me, his mouth was shaped into a small 'o', he looked at me from head to toe "You look good" he smiled

"So do you" I complemented him. We were walked to the bottom of the remake centre, forty eight horses were attached to the tributes chariots, each district had their own chariot that was pulled by four horses our horses were black due to us being the mining district. Harley walked over to us, holding a flaming torch in his hand; I stared at it wide eyed.

"Don't worry it's not real" he said smiling, showing a pair of pearly white teeth. He held it to the bottom of my dress; I looked over my shoulder to notice a fire rippling out behind me, they did the same with Robbie but they set fire to the front of his jacket, around the collar and sides were the buttons and button holes were.

I looked around at the other tributes, to see what they were wearing; none really caught my eye, they were dressed, quite plainly all apart from District 1. They were both wearing togas; there skin looked like it was glistening, like tiny little diamonds had been embedded into their skin.

I looked at the girl's face, her make up heavily done, going along her eyes lids were jewels, they came off into little flicks just before reaching her temple- this made her eyes seem bigger. Her lips were red and covered in more gems that looked like rubies; she traced her lip with her finger feeling the ridges of the jewels, before her stylist batted her hand away aggressively, this seemed to shock her, she let her hand drop to her side. She didn't look like the same girl who had appeared on the recap of yesterday. She looked more doll like, but still her beauty caught me off guard.

She turned her head towards me, and smiled, flashing a set of perfectly white and perfectly straight teeth, my heart drummed lightly, I returned the smile as best I could, my expression trembling slightly. She gave a light wave with her fingers before climbing into her chariot. They were pulled through the door, by white horses. I watched as they left, stunned once again by the small girl from District 1.

The only thing that shook me from my trance that she had once again put me under was the feeling of Harley's hand on my shoulder "You ready?" He asked; his deep voice was relaxed, and calm. I took a deep breath and nodded. Climbing into the chariot, I could hear the cheers of the crowd faintly. I looked at Robbie, and held out my hand, he took it with a smile I could feel him trembling. I mouthed to him _are you okay?_ He turned to me and nodded, before looking ahead.

I could see the flames light flickering on his face, he looked handsome, I turned my head, looking at the back of my dress that now had a flowing fire on it. The chariot set off with a jerk, as the horses trotted through the doors, the crowd silenced for a few heart beats, and then the stadium erupted with cheers and chants of 'District 12'.

I could feel Robbie trembling more fiercely than before; I caught a look at us, on the screen. We looked breath taking, the way the fire danced around, us; mine flowing behind us, like an orange river, while Robbie's lit up our faces. It isn't until we get into the city centre each chariot does a loop of the centre circle, most of the airtime seems to be going to us and District 1, and who could blame them, the young boy and girl from 1 looked positively flawless.

The chariots pull up right outside President Wood's mansion, he walks onto the balcony to give a welcome speech he is a tall broad man, with dark grey hair and stubble. While he is speaking, the cameras cut away from the tributes, so that the whole of Panem can see him instead. The darker the night becomes, the brighter we shine, making it harder to not notice us. When the anthem plays, the camera shows each of the districts tributes again, holding for a while on District 1 and 12.

_**A/N: **__A quick update with this chapter, I hope you like it. Please read and review I appreciate all comments and opinions (good or bad) _


	3. Chapter 3

**3**

Each chariot had done its final lap of the city circle and we now found our way into the training centre. The doors slam shut behind us, our prep team swarms us, huge smiles on their faces at our success, I glance around the room at the other tributes, stopping at the careers, who seemed to have grouped together. The boys from 1, 2 and 4 and the girls from 2 and 4 all glared at us, the girls had their hands placed on their hips, while the boys had their arms folded over their chests. However, the girl from 1 ran her fingers over her lips once more agitatedly playing with the gems stuck to her lips. Her eyes caught sight of me looking at her. She flashed me another smile, making my heart drum in my chest. The effect she had on me was incredible.

I still held Robbie's hand tightly; I could feel him shaking still in my grasp. I looked down at our hands and loosened my grip, slightly, before fully letting go of his hand fully. He looked at me, his brown eyes meeting mine. "Thanks for that back there" he said awkwardly "I was worried" his voice was soft.

"To tell you the truth Rob, so was I" I admitted quietly, with a slight smile, he turned his line of sight from me to the career tributes, I followed his gaze, turning my attention to them for the second time in the short period we had spent in this room. He looked at Caterina, and sighed dreamily. She saw him and gave him an awkward smile. Before turning on her heel and following her prep team and the boy from her district out of the room we were in.

The training centre will now be our home, until the actual games start, each pair of tributes along with their team has their own floor in the tower this is used specially for the tributes. The floor you are on depends on your district I.E District 1- floor one. If you are on a higher floor you have to take a lift up there. The lift flies upwards quickly, and it's made out of glass so as you are heading towards your floor you can watch the people below you shrinking.

My room is huge, and is filled with gadgets and gizmos, most of them I'll never get the chance to use; I can order any food that I want at any time that I want. I take a quick shower lathering both my body and hair in the scented soaps and shampoos. I dress in a black dress, that has black netting over it, the pattern in the netting is flowers, it's a nice dress, not too casual but not too dressy. I walk around the room some more, I am pulled away from exploring the room by a knock at the door "Dinner!" Called Bernadette, her high pitched whiney voice pierced my ears. _Good _I thought_, _ I was hungry, and needed something to eat after the day's events.

Luckily when I got down to the dining room Erwin, Harley and Maria all sat at the table, in a line, while Robbie once again sat alone opposite them all, that was until I sat in the chair next to him. "Hello again" I said to him friendlily.

"Hey" he greeted with a wave, Bernadette sat on the other side of me, she glared at Erwin and for no good reason he hadn't done anything wrong. Once the six of us are seated at the table, a young girl with black hair, and pale skin serves us, she was so pale, that her skin was almost translucent. She walks around the table silently. "Thanks" I said as she reached me, her eyes flicked to mine, but she said nothing, she just looked down quickly, and served Bernadette before leaving the room.

"That was a little rude" I said snapping everyone's attention to me.

"What was?" asked Bernadette, pulling her face close to mine.

"Well I said 'thanks' but she ignored me" I explained, my tone of voice slightly hostile.

Bernadette smiled and chuckled slightly "No Jadelyn" she said I cringed at my full name, I really did hate it "She wasn't ignoring you, she can't speak, she's an Avox" I arched my eyebrow at her questioningly "They can't speak, they are people who have committed a crime, they have their tongues cut out" she turned her voice to a low whisper speaking only to me "She's probably a traitor" I felt a little bad at thinking and stating that the girl had been rude when she simply couldn't speak, all because the capitol had these stupid brutal punishments.

"Oh" I said, before looking down at my food, I could see Robbie out of the corner of my eye, stifling a laugh at my remark, I kicked him lightly in the shine with the back of my foot. Once we have eaten, the sky outside is dark, and it's late.

Bernadette is the first to stand "I'm going to bed" she chimes "And I suggest that you two do the same, we have a busy day ahead of us tomorrow" she was smiling idiotically "You need to meet me at 10:00am for training" and with that she went to bed, leaving Robbie, Maria, Harley, Erwin and I sat alone in the quiet dining room.

Maria, Harley, Erwin, Robbie and I stayed seated for a while; no one spoke, or even moved, the room was quiet and still, the only sound we could hear, was, the clanging of plates and cutlery being washed in the kitchen, seeped through the doors. That was until Erwin suddenly dived from his seat.

"I'm going to bed" he chimed, nodding friendlily at Harley and Maria, he then turned his attention to me and Robbie "And I think you two should as well" he was gone before Robbie or I could even talk to him, it was strange for him to agree with Bernadette.

Robbie and I stood from the table "Night" Said Harley with a wave of his fingers and a smile, Maria did the same, before Robbie and I turned and left the room, walking down the corridor to our bedrooms.

"So that girl was rude" Robbie joked about my awkward moment with the Avox. I shot him a warning look that made him purse his lips to keep from laughing. "You have to admit, it's funny" he stopped walking and looked at me, his brown eyes holding a hint of a smile that was slowly spreading to his lips.

"Good night Robbie" I turned away from him and walked to my room, I strip to my underwear once again and climb in to the bed, I took a deep breath closed my eyes and tried to sleep, images of the day playing round in my mind.

My dreams had mainly been filled by the opening ceremony, how everyone looked, the feelings I had felt, it was strange that even in my dreams everything felt really, the nerves, the sounds the smells, everything. Although, it's morning the sky outside is dull and grey. I slowly move from my bed, walking into the bathroom, and stepping into the shower. I tilt back my head, letting the water run down my face, washing all the sleep away.

Once I am out of the shower, I dress in the clothes that have been laid out for me; a pair of tight black trousers, and a short sleeved maroon t-shirt, I put on the pair of heavy boots and looked in the mirror, the outfit was less than flattering. I walked down to the dining cart, I stopped in the door way for a few seconds; the only other person up, was Bernadette.

I walked passed her, to the table laid with food, I piled my plate high and walked back to the table where Bernadette sat.

"Good morning, dear" she greeted me happily, smiling at me.

"Morning" I replied, a lot less enthusiastic. I sat down opposite her.

"Are you ready for your first training session?" she questioned still smiling from ear to ear.

"No" I said honestly "Not really" I gave a small shrug as my breakfast was served to me, by the same girl who had served us last night. Bernadette seemed shocked at my lack of interest; she chokes slightly on her coffee before saying.

"That's not the right attitude to have Jadelyn" _cringe_ why does the woman insist on using my full name.

"Jade!" I correct her before she has time to say anything else "I prefer Jade" I rephrase trying to seem more polite.

"Sorry" she said before continuing "Jade, that's not the right way to look at things, these training sessions could be the difference between surviving and dying" her voice was stern as she said this, her blue eyes locked on mine.

I sigh, before taking a bite out of one of the plump sausages that are steaming on my plate in front of me. I scan the room with my eyes and come across a big bronze clock on the wall. 9:00am, only an hour to go before training. Robbie walked through the doors with Erwin at his side; I noticed he was wearing the same as me.

He sat next to me, not bothering to get any food "You not hungry" I asked, pulling off a piece of bread and popping it into my mouth. He shook his head and screwed up his face.

"Not really" he admitted "I feel sick I don't want to risk eating" I nodded in understanding, and then continued to devour my food. We don't have much time to speak to Erwin once he comes back from the table, plate piled high with food.

"So" he starts "What types of things can you do?" he asked, his eyes darting between Robbie and myself, I shrug.

"Not a lot really, I guess I'm okay with knives and things, I may have used them once or twice" I said thinking about the times I had been forced to go looking for food for Taylor, mum and me. He nods at me.

"Well then save using knives until you are alone, don't let them see what you are best at" he explained, before turning his attention to Robbie "And what can you do?" he asked.

"Nothing" said Robbie sheepishly.

"That's a lie" it comes out before I can really stop it, Robbie's eye snap to me, looking shocked "You can do some things" a smile starts to form on his face.

"Like?" asks Sikowitz sounding bored already.

"Like…" I rack my brains for skills that Robbie has, "He knows stuff about food, and he is good with knots, things like that, and he's a lot stronger than he looks" I said. Sure the skills involving food and knots may not seem like much, most people in District 12 can do these things, but combine them with strength, when you're in that arena, it can make the world of difference.

Sikowitz smiles "Well the same goes to you, Robert, save the things you are good at until you are alone, just stick together, and you should be fine" he stands and then walks away, leaving us alone with Bernadette, who keeps flicking her eyes to the clock.

It's only 9:45 but Bernadette makes us head off the lift, the journey down takes less than a minute, despite the training room being below the ground floor. We are the last to arrive there, even though it's not 10:00 yet we are the last to arrive. The room just in front of us is filled with various weapons and obstacle courses; I see that everyone is wearing the same as Robbie and I. They all stand in a circle; all of the careers are bunched together with their backs to us.

I notice Caterina straight away (It's hard to miss her when her hair is that bright) I look at her body from head to toe; my eyes linger shortly at her hips before moving down to her bum, before I snap my eyes away from her. Robbie and I join the circle- after having our district number pinned to our shirts. Once we are in the circle, the head trainer, a thin small manly woman named Debbie comes into our view. She explains how the day will work, what the different stations are, and how we can go from one to another if and when we choose.

There are combat skill zones (although you not allowed to go into combat with any other tribute until the games begin, the experts are there to help you with that). I let my eyes scan the room, taking in all the faces of the other tributes. It's the first time we are all on the same floor, dressed casually, I notice that Robbie and I are still getting dirty looks from the career tributes. All but one, Caterina, this is mainly because she isn't looking at anyone, she is looking down at her feet, and fidgeting awkwardly with her fingers.

We are realised and the careers speed of to the weapons sections, despite her height Caterina reaches the weapons before any of the others much to their dismay, she heads straight for the bow and arrow, it looks huge in her small hands. She loads it quickly, and fires an arrow straight through the middle of the target. She smiles proud of herself, she steps further back and loads the bow again, although she seems more content on impressing herself, the other careers seem to be showing off, and trying to intimidate us.

Robbie takes a deep breath and looks at me "What do you want to do first?" he asks.

"How about, camouflage" I suggest,

"Surely girlie" he nods and puts and arm forward, motioning for me to lead the way. We didn't stay at the camouflage station for long, as I found it dreadfully boring and Robbie couldn't get the hang of it. We then moved on to shooting, I practiced with the bow and arrow for a while, now that Caterina had moved onto something else, I struggled with the bow and arrow though. I could hear laughing coming from one of the other stations, I turned to see five of the career tributes, They boys from 1,2 and 4 and the girls from 2, and 4, the girl from 1 however, wasn't with them, she was at the other end of the room, flying through the edible and poisonous plant test. I sighed, and looked at Robbie "I'm going to the knives" I said, before throwing the bow and arrows at the floor.

"No we're not supposed to" he argued "Erwin said"

"I don't care what Erwin said, their laughing at me" I walk away from Robbie, and go to the knife throwing station. I stand facing the target and pick up one of the small knives, I feel the cool blade in-between my index finger and thumb, I take a deep breath and hurtle it towards the target, hitting it straight through the middle, I do this a few more times, never missing my target. I look over to the careers and smile at them smugly. They all stay silent and walk over to the girl from 1, who was far too involved in the test to notice what had happened.

The next few days are slow, Robbie and I do the same mundane activities for hours on end, the best part of the day is lunch, which is served in a huge dining hall and all twenty-four of us eat together. The food is arranged on tables and carts that are gathered around the room, you serve yourself.

There are very few people in the dining hall by the time Robbie and I arrive, naturally the careers are already here and sat noisily around one of the tables, at the far end, all the boys on one side of the table, and the girls sat opposite them, each pair from each district sits facing each other. Robbie sits at the table near them; he saves this table, while I get my food.

There's so much to choose from, thick soups, stews, fresh salads, meat, and an array of freshly made bread from each of the districts. Everything looks amazing, and I am spoiled for choice, I contemplate, which foods to try, my silence and thought is broken, by a soft, high pitched voice ringing from the side of me.

"If I were you, I'd try the bread from District 1" the voice suggests, I turn to see who it belongs to, and I see Caterina, stood smiling at me "I hear it's nice" she jokes, picking up two rolls of the bread she is recommending, she places one on her plate and hands the other to me, I take it, without questioning. I look at her for a while, not knowing what else to do, the look on her face says she is slightly alarmed. I pull myself together to speak to her.

"And if I were you" I reply "I would avoid the bread from District 12, I hear it's just plain awful" she chuckles musically, and slides her teeth over her bottom lip biting it for a few seconds, her dimple surfaces slightly, caused by her actions, now that I am stood speaking to her, she seems more stunning than before.

"You're Jadelyn, right?" she asks pointing a finger at me. I like the way she says my name, I like the way her mouth looks when she says my name, but that doesn't change the fact that I hate my name.

"Jade" I correct her, with shrug.

"Hi, I'm Cat" she introduces herself. I notice her piling her plate high, for someone of her size, she can eat a lot. She looks over her shoulder at the table where the other careers are sat, we seemed to have drawn some attention to ourselves, the all sit, glaring at me, the boy from 1 seems particular annoyed. "Do you want to sit with us?" she asks sweetly, "Both of you" she includes Robbie "There's room"

She still stands smiling, holding her plate in her hands steadily so she doesn't drop it, I look at Robbie, who is sat watching us, and then back to Cat's 'friends' "I don't think it's a good idea, thanks anyway" I say shrugging.

"It's okay, well just know, that the invitation, lasts until, whenever" she smiles at me and balances the plate on one hand, "Bye, Jade" she says smiling, waving at me with her fingers, "Enjoy the bread" she adds, jokingly, before walking back to the table, to join her fellow career tributes.

I walk back over to Robbie, shortly after Cat had left me standing at the food cart, I sit down next to him and smile "What did she want?" asked Robbie, straining his neck so he could see her.

"Nothing really, she recommended the bread from 1 and then she invited us to seat with them" I admit with a shrug.

"Remind me again why we aren't sitting with them?" Robbie asked, standing before I could stop him, I raised to me feet speed walking to catch up to him. Robbie stopped dead in his tracks once he got close to them.

"Hello again" I said, prolonging the 'o', I gave an awkward smile and wave

"Hi" greeted Cat, cheerfully.

"I'm Robbie" he chimed nervously

"Hey, Robbie I'm Cat" she said putting down the piece of bread that she held in her hand, she motioned around the table "This is Beck, Ryder, Andre, Tara, and Tori" she smiled widely, shuffling up on the bench slightly, to make room for me to sit next to her, "Everyone, this is Jade, and Robbie, from District 12" I was amazed that she had remembered where we were from, the only reason I remembered the district she was from, is because she herself, is unforgettable.

The other girls faces seemed to change as she told them what district we are from, one of them scoffs, and plays with the food on her plate.

I waved at them all once, with an awkward smile on my face "Hi everyone" I said, not bothering to reel of the names one by one. The boy from 1, Beck, shifted in his seat, as Robbie looked longingly at Cat, and Tori the girl from 4 seemed to do the same. "Robbie just wanted to come over t…" I started but was cut off by Tori.

"You can't sit with us!" she screeched. She glared at me, her brown eyes cold, and hard. I knew why they had reacted like this, it's because we're from 12, the usually forgotten district.

"Oh" I said, quietly, letting her comment get to me more than I should, no one said anything, not even Cat, she just looked down at her feet, her expression said that she was too scared to argue with the girl. "We just came over to say 'Hi'" I explained with an apologetic smile.

"Well you've said it" snaps Tara, before turning away from me to face Ryder.

"Well, bye, Cat" I say sombrely, before walking back to the table, Robbie had previously sat at. I looked over my shoulder to see her jiggling her fingers at me slightly, with a sad expression on her face.

I sat down quietly, and bite into the bread Cat had handed me, she wasn't lying about it being nice bread, I couldn't stop my eyes from flickering over to the table where she sat, I couldn't help but feel a stab of pain and jealousy at the fact they were sat with her when I wasn't.

_**A/N: **__The first proper bit of Cade interaction, not mu__ch, but these things take time. I decided to add some one sided Bat into this fic. I hope you like this chapter, __please read and review I appreciate all comments and opinions (good or __bad) _


	4. Chapter 4

**4**

The week ended far too quickly for my liking. We were on our last day of training, and before we knew it, the games would have begun. It was lunch time, and they would soon start to call all of us in for our private sessions. I sat alone; Robbie was busy getting some food. I looked down at my plate, which was still full. Suddenly my earlier desire to eat had been withdrawn. I pick up a piece of bread and pull it apart with my hands. I turn round to see what Robbie was doing. I notice that he was talking to Cat, the pair of them smiling, and laughing, just as we had been yesterday.

I look away from them, looking down at my plate full of food. I could feel my jaw tighten slightly, and I couldn't believe I felt jealous of Robbie Shapiro. I look up when he makes his way back over to the table alone. "Did she have anything interesting to say?" I ask. I couldn't believe that I actually cared that much about what she had to say, or about her in fact, she should just be another face in the crowd, but she was so much more than that, and that's the problem.

"Not really" he shrugged. I look over to where she is sat; Beck sits next to her today, whereas yesterday and the days before that he had sat opposite her. He has his arm around her waist. He whispers something in her ear, and starts sniggering. Her eyes flick up to mine she looks away quickly and I can't help but notice that she shifts slightly, making his arm slip from where it was. He looks down hearted by this, and moves on to talk to Tori, she flips her hair flirtatiously, I scoff at her, finding it amusing that she actually uses this technique to get boys.

A voice calls out through the room, and it's time for the private sessions starting with District 1- as usual "Beck Oliver!" I sigh, knowing I will be the last one in this room, with me being from 12 and a girl- they usually start with the boys, but this year, I was hoping they would change that and start with the girls for once. I watch as Beck, walks from the table where his peers sit. They all smile at him and wish him luck, they were being ridiculously rowdy.

It's only about ten or fifteen minutes until we hear the voice again. "Caterina Valentine!" she stands smiling. She waves at the rest of the careers; again they all start cheering and whooping as she walks past them. She walks past mine and Robbie's table, smiles at me and mouths 'Good luck'. She waves with her fingers, and before I can fully register what has happened, she is walking down the corridor. I watch her until the doors close fully blocking off my view.

As the crowd dwindles, I find my heart beating rapidly, in my chest. Soon there is only Robbie and I left in the hall, and we are soon separated by the voice calling out "Robert Shapiro!" he stands slowly.

"Good luck" I say flicking my eyes up to meet his, they are heavy, and I can clearly see the nerves setting into him. He musters up the best smile he can.

"You too, throw straight" he replies, and that's the last sound I hear from him, other than the sound of a puff of air living his lungs as he readies himself. I sit looking around the dining hall; it seems eerie when it's empty. To me in some strange way, it seems like a reminder, that twenty-three of the bodies that have resided in the training centre and that have eaten in this room, will be lost within a couple of weeks. Seeing it like this makes everything seem daunting.

I'm pulled away from my thoughts once again by the same voice that has already chimed twenty-three times. I stand up at the sound of my name. And walk slowly to the door. As soon as I reach the gymnasium, I look at the Game makers; their lack of interest in me is ominous the head game maker Lane, isn't even looking at me. He has dark skin, and dark eyes, he is a middle aged man, and has been the head game maker for three years in a row now.

I take a deep breath to steady my nerves. I walk over to where the knives, are laid out neatly, I grab one in between my fingers, I feel the cool steel of the blade on my skin, I take another deep breath and hurtle the knife towards the dummy. I miss only marginally, but that doesn't stop the game makers from sniggering at me, some even look away, losing any trace of interest they had. I grab another knife, and try again, this time I hit the dummy right where a person's heart would be. I feel impressed with myself. I turn my head over my shoulders slightly; not one of them is looking at me. This angers me, I can hear my heart pounding, and my hands start to tremble slightly.

I reach for another knife, the blade is only small, but it has a serrated edge, and is most likely the sharpest of the lot. I throw it towards the game makers; I just miss Lane's head, his eyes snap to me, they are filled with fear. I bow at him mockingly "Thank you for you appreciation" I say. I leave without being dismissed; I can't stop myself from shaking when I reach the lift. _I've blown it_ I tell myself.

I hit the number 12 making me zip upwards; I stride to my bedroom, ignoring the calls from the others. I lie down on my bed and start sobbing uncontrollably. My breathing ragged. I think of the possible outcomes that could be caused by my temper. My arrest, my death, they may decide to cut out my tongue, turning me into an Avox, meaning I would have to serve on other tributes. Even if they do none of these things, and then there's still the scores, and my chances of getting a high score- not matter how low they were before- have now been decreased to almost zero.

With the way I acted I would be lucky to get a three, and if I am awarded a low score it makes my chances of getting a sponsor much lower. Who'd want to sponsor me when they could sponsor a career, someone who stands a real chance of winning, someone like Tori, or Cat, or even Tara, any of them have a better chance than I do.

I stop crying when I have no more tears to shed, there is a quiet tap at the door "Go away" I mumble into my pillow.

"Jade" rings Bernadette's voice, it's low like a whisper, "It's dinner time" she says, and then she's gone, I sigh figuring I may as well go to dinner, the scores will be televised any way, and they will want an explanation for my dismal score.

I walk to the bath room and wash my face, removing all the traces of my tears and crying fit. I joined them for dinner finding Harley, Maria, Erwin, Bernadette and Robbie already at the table. "Hello Jadelyn!" called Erwin, I wasn't in the mood.

"Jade!" I all but scream at him, he looks shocked, and I instantly feel bad about shouting at him. I sigh, knowing it wasn't his fault.

"What happened?" Erwin asks, looking at me.

"Well, when I got there, they weren't interested in what I was doing, I missed my first shot, and they laughed, so that got me annoyed" I explained. "And then when I did hit the target, no one cared so" I stop and laughed falsely, trying to lighten the mood "I through a knife at them" I bite my lip waiting for the onslaught of the people surrounding me. Bernadette almost chokes on her wine.

"You did what?!" she screeches slamming her glass down on the table so hard, some of the wine splashes over the top of it "Do you have any idea what you could have done?" her bright blue eyes are piercing into me, making me feel uncomfortable.

"I'm sorry but I got angry" I tried to explain again. I opened my mouth to find the words, but Bernadette cut me off before I could really start speaking.

"That is no excuse, do you realise what The Capitol could do?" she is speaking incredibly fast, and her usually high pitched voice is moving up octaves, soon it will be at a frequency that it only audible to dogs.

"What could they do?" asks Erwin, "Take it out on them" he points to Robbie and I when he says this "They already have" his voice is calm, which makes me feel slightly better about the whole situation. "They can't do anything, public, even if they wanted to. It would mean them showing the training session and they are supposed to be secret" I smile at him vaguely, one side of my mouth just twitching up at the corner.

After we have eaten dinner we go to the living room to watch the scores being revealed on the screen, at first they show a picture of the tribute, and then the score they have received. Beck is the first face that appears on the screen, he scores a steady 10- this is usual for the career tributes; they usually score 8-10 out of 12.

Cat's picture is next. Her score is flashed at the bottom of her picture; the number 11 is flashed on the screen. I feel myself smiling, I'm happy for her, if her District wasn't enough to get her sponsors, or the way she looks, her score has sold her, and if any of the careers are to win, I would want it to be Cat. I notice the others watching me with raised eyebrows and I immediately drop my smile. And I feign disinterest.

We watch the others faces flashing on the screen, the other Careers score lower than both Cat and Beck. Ryder, Tara and Andre all score 9's while Tori, is at the bottom of the pack with and 8, it's still a highly respectable score and will be sure to do her favours within the capitol. All of the other tributes score steady 5's and 6's, it feels like a life time waiting to see what I have scored, Robbie's face appears before mine, he score smile at him and congratulate him, this is an achievement, for someone from District 12.

I take a deep breath, as my face appears on the TV, waiting for the number to flash on the screen, my eyes widen in shock as the number 11 flashes at the bottom of my face. The room fills with cheers and congratulations. I couldn't believe I had received such a high score, especially after what I did

"How is that possible?" Asks Bernadette shocked as the seal of Panem flashes onto the screen, before it turned black.

"I guess they liked her attitude" says Harley, his voice as smooth as coffee. "It all makes for a good show" I smile, feeling slightly optimistic, for the first time since my name was pulled out at the reaping.

"Jade West" says Harley dreamily with a smile "You do amaze people" I smile back at him. "Just wait until the interview"

"Why what do you have in mind?" I ask smiling up at him.

"You'll see" he winks at me friendlily.

Robbie and I congratulated each other again, hugging each other friendlily; I smile at him and give him a kiss on the cheek, before I head off to my room. I strip off to my underwear and climb under the bed covers, letting myself sink into the huge bed, I pull the covers up to my shoulders, feeling warn out due to the day's events and crying.

I close my eyes and see the number 11 once more, crystal clear it's flashing behind my eyelids. That is until; Cat's face comes to my mind, her small face had appeared on the screen in her picture she is looking straight at the camera, no expression is clear on her face, her expression just looks indifferent. She is clear of all make up, but she has a natural beauty that can't be ignored.

_**A/N: **_ _Chapter four done. Thanks for all of the reviews so far, it means a lot to me. Please read and review this chapter I appreciate all comments and opinions (good or bad)_


	5. Chapter 5

**5**

I am woken in the morning by Bernadette knocking on my door, her voice chimes through the wood that blocks her from me "Busy day!" her shuffling footsteps quieten as she heads off down the corridor to the dining car. I sit up and rub my eyes with my fists; the sleep has left them feeling gritty. I look towards the curtains; the sun is trying to break through the material. The heat outside is emitting through the glass, making the room seem closed in. I shower quickly, and then head of to the dining car.

Robbie, Erwin and Bernadette are already eating and chatting away, when I walk past however, they silence and focus entirely on their food. I join them when my plate is full of food, having only eaten a little yesterday, my stomach feels hollow, and the low rumbles coming from me it are reminders of how hungry I am. I've eaten almost all of my food before I decide to strike up some form of conversation among us. "Tomorrow night is when we have our interviews, right?" I ask.

Erwin nods "Yes, that's correct" his voice is loud and happy- as usual.

"So what are we doing then?" I ask, looking at Erwin, it was strange how much solace I seemed to get from him.

"You'll each have four hours with me and four hours with Bernadette" he explains. I nod in understanding. "Jade" he is sure to use this alteration of my name due to my outburst yesterday. "You start with Bernadette" he smiles.

I groan internally, it's not that Bernadette had ever been mean to us, in fact she always seemed very enthusiastic towards us, but that was the problem, I didn't like the amount of enthusiasm she had towards the games. She smiles at me her voice ringing through the room pulls me out of my thoughts "I'll be helping you with presentation" her bright blue eyes meet mine, they shine with excitement, they look like the jewels that District 1 would produce. I falsely return the smile.

We go to my room where she puts me in a long gown- it's different to the one I wore at the opening ceremony. It's long all the way around and clings to your legs, making it incredibly hard to walk in, I am wearing heels, they're not the one's I'll be wearing for the interview but, apparently it is essential that I learn to walk in them, even though I proved that I could at the opening ceremony.

I pull up my dress slightly, making it easier for me to walk- had this dress been shorter I wouldn't be having this problem. Bernadette hits my hands off of the material, making my skin tingle. "No" she says "Don't pull it above your ankles!" I hated people touching me, let alone people hitting me. I suck in some air to calm myself.

We cover posture, apparently I slouch when I sit, and smiling- it appears I need to do that more as most if not all of the smiles I have been giving people since I got here had been false or remotely there. She works me to the last minute of my four hours, and come the end of the session, I feel even more stressed than I did to begin with, it is clear in the way Bernadette stands, that preparing me has been harder than she thought it would.

"It'll do" says Bernadette with a sigh. She soon smiles at me again however, I can see the muscles in her face twitching, and I'm silently waiting for her smile to falter. "Just try to make the audience like you, dear"

"_Try_?" I ask furrowing my eyebrows "You don't think they'll like me, as I am?" I look up at her and chew the inside of my cheek. I must have pressed too hard, as the skin on the inside of my mouth punctures, and the taste of blood finds its way to my tongue.

"Not if you don't smile, if you act sullen all the time, you can't expect people to like you" she explains this still with that twitching smile on her face, and a look that asks the question 'are you stupid?'

"It's hard to smile given the situation!" I snarl; I can feel the anger welling up inside me as it had yesterday during my private training session.

"Well, it can't be that hard I'm smiling at you, even though you don't deserve it!" it twitches again, pulling down slightly at the corners, she must notice this too as her closed mouth smile suddenly beams into a full toothy smile, that is just as false as mine have been.

"Yeah, looks real convincing" I say sarcastically.

"Just go!" she instructs pointing to the door.

"No!" I say defiantly. It has only been a few seconds since she asked me to leave but I can't stand being in this room with her any longer. "I'm leaving" I say standing; I kick off the shoes, and pull the dress up as high as I possibly can without exposing my underwear.

Robbie and Erwin seemed to be in good moods so I was hoping that after dinner the day would be easier, than it had been this morning. It was amazing how wrong I was. Erwin sat me down on the sofa and just stared at me, his chin in between his thumb and index finger.

"What?" I spit, still in a bad mood from this morning and Bernadette.

"I'm trying to figure out how to sell you" he admits "Are you going to be aloof? Charming? Sexy?" he says "That's what we are here for"

"What's Robbie's approach?" I ask furrowing my eyebrows "Or can I not ask that?"

"Likeable" he admits "He has this awkwardness about him, that makes him somewhat humorous" he takes the seat next to me. "But that doesn't matter now. What matters is you" he prods me lightly with his index finger. "Look." He starts "So far you have amazed people, Jade. The way looked at the opening ceremony, your score in training. We just have to keep that going with your personality." He explains. "And you should be fine"

I nod and purse my lips "So what are we going to do?" I ask. Erwin tries different personalities with me. We try humorous, witty, confident, but none of them suit me.

"Good Ghandi!" bellows Erwin, looking at the clock on the wall "Is that the time" I follow his gaze to the wall, and sure enough the four hours are over, and we both feel deflated and defeated by the end of the session, and are no closer to finding an approach for me.

That night I eat dinner alone in my room, I order as much food as my stomach will allow me to eat, I soon feel sluggish and sick. I strip to my underwear, and climb in to the bed. I close my eyes, dreading what tomorrow will bring.

When I wake in the morning the first thing I see is the faces of my prep team, I notice that Harley has a beaming smile on his face. I am glad that my lessons with Bernadette and Erwin are over. And today belongs to Harley which I am pleased about.

The team works on me until late in the afternoon, my makeup is the same as it was for the opening ceremony, apart from my eyeliner is slightly lighter. I have had the red removed from my hair, and once again it is fully black. My nails are painted with a flame design.

Harley enters the room holding a bag that I assume has my dress in it. "Close your eyes" he request in his silky smooth voice. I feel the dress fall down my body, stopping at my thighs the plump white haired woman- whose name I have learnt is Mallory- helps me into my shoes. I am glad to learn that they aren't too high; this is a good thing due to my height anyway. They do some finishing touches with the dress, making sure that it is hanging properly. And then there's silence.

"Can I look now?" I ask smiling slightly

"Yes" he purrs.

I look in a full length mirror that is propped in front of me, I hardly recognise myself. The dress I am wearing stops at my thighs, hugging them nicely, it accents my figure perfectly. It's red, but dotted with red, yellow and orange gems that are strategically placed in the pattern of flames. Each move I make gives the impression of me being engulfed in flames. I look sensational.

I flick my gaze to Harley, who stands looking at me in admiration- obviously pleased with the day's work. "Thank you" I say with a smile.

"Twirl" he smiles, I do as instructed, and the room erupts with cheers and claps. Harley motions the team out of the room; soon there is only the two of us left. "Are you ready?" he asks.

I shake my head "No" I admit "I have no idea what I'm doing" I shrug "Erwin, and I tried but we couldn't find an approach for me"

"Just be yourself" he suggests, I scoff and nod sarcastically "Jade, you can do this. So far you have been amazing. And you have been amazing by being yourself" he gushes.

I don't know how true this is only two people have ever called me amazing and they are Harley and Erwin, and they are going to say that, they want me to go out there smiling and being happy. But what if they don't deserve my smiles? I only give people I like my smiles. And I don't like very many people. I never have. The only people I like are Robbie, Erwin, Harley and Cat. I sigh when her face comes to mind. "Do you think that's enough?" I ask "Being myself?"

"Yes" he smiles, he takes one of my hand in his "I know that you are going to go out there and wow people once again." It is clear in the way he speaks to me that he truly believes I can do this. "Just be honest" he says

"Honest?" I ask sceptical "Is that wise?"

"Yes, it shows people the real you, so far people have seen how strong you have been during this event, you have never really shown any emotion, now's your chance. Show them the real Jade West" he instructs. I nod at him. And I take a deep breath.

He follows me out of the room and takes me down to meet Robbie who is with Maria. I see that once again Robbie and I are coordinated in the way that we are dressed. He is in a red suit, with a black shirt. His suit has been decorated the same as my dress.

He smiles at me "Amazing" he says, his eyes linger on me for a while. I glare at him, giving him a silent warning to stop. He snaps his eyes away from me and smiles "How do I look?" he asks holding his arms out.

"Impressive" I say, I notice that Erwin, and Bernadette are all dressed up for the occasion. Bernadette squeals when she sees me and showers me with complements, I smile at her the best I can and thank her for her kind words.

Erwin smiles at me, and that's his complement. When the lift doors open all the other tributes are being lined up outside being ready to take their seats on the stage. The girls are going before the boys this time, meaning I will be second to last. I wish that the interviews were done in reverse order, so that I could go first. But as always District 1 will be the first to be interviewed.

Sinjin Vancleef- The young man who hosts the interviews-bounds onto the stage. It is obvious by his fresh face how young he is, I wouldn't put him at much older than me, but he has the right personality for the job. He has light brown curly hair that his quite long, and hangs off of his head, it reminds me slightly of a mop. He is wearing a pale blue suit with a white shirt.

He tells a few jokes to get the audience warmed up. And then he gets down to business. Cat walks to the centre of the stage, in a simple white dress, that hugs her body. The dress has been studded with red gems to match her hair. And once again her body shimmers with a silver tone. Her hair colour has been freshened. Her eyes are lightly done, but she has diamonds at the outer corner of her eye, stretching them out, her eyes demand you attention, and once again, she looks incredible.

You only have to listen to her for a few short moments before you are totally one over by her, she has an innocence about her that makes her loveable. You can see the men of the capitol swooning over her, both young and old- in fact I find myself swooning over her. Even Sinjin seems to be infatuated with her. He asks her how she got her score, to which she replies "That's secret" she gives him a wink and smiles. And with that her interview is over, and she has had the audience hanging on her every word.

The other interviews seem slow, each tribute has a redeeming quality about them, but none demand my attention like Cat did. Beck seemed to hold a confidence- well that's what Sinjin calls it but I would have used the word arrogance, but the girls are lapped him up. The other careers are either killing machines or humble.

It is all too soon when I hear them calling my name. I walk over to Sinjin slowly I can feel my heart racing, and the eyes of the other tributes burn into my back. I sit down in the chair opposite him and try to remember the advice Harley gave me _be yourself_ I think over and over. "So Jadelyn, the capitol must be a big change to District 12" he smiles at me "What have you enjoyed most since you arrived?" he asked.

I think of the most honest answer I can "The food" I admit, the audience laughs and so does Sinjin.

"Ahh yes, the food is great" he agrees, I like Sinjin, he's friendly enough, and helps you out a lot. "Now Jadelyn" I do my best not to cringe at my name. "When I saw you at the opening ceremony I couldn't believe my eyes. Tell us about that outfit"

I smile "Well at first I was a little scared because of the fire" I admit, Sinjin cut's in

"You and me both" the audience laugh at him

"But after I saw what I looked like I couldn't believe it was me, I honestly think it's one of the nicest things I have ever worn, along with this" pointing to the dress.

"Let's have a real look at it" says Sinjin, I stand and I give them a twirl, the gems catching in the light, makes the audience gasp from the illusion of the flames. Then they all clap and cheer. I stop and then find my seat again.

"Amazing" says Sinjin- I could get used to being called amazing. "So Jadelyn, that score Eleven" he says smiling. "Tell us about that please?" his tone of voice is more like he is begging for an answer.

"Let's just say, what I showed them was unique" I shrug. I catch sight of the Game makers on the screen; they are all nodding and chuckling in agreement.

"Now tell me, is there anyone special back home?" asks Sinjin

I shake my head "No, there's no one" I say, I flick my eyes over his shoulders and catch sight of Cat, who is watching me intently, taking in everything I am saying.

"A beautiful girl like you must have someone" he emphasis the words 'beautiful' and 'someone'

I shake my head again "Honestly there's no one… Back home" I add; because that's not a lie, there is someone who has caught my attention. But she's here, and there is nothing I can do about it. Cat begins to cloud my thoughts, it doesn't help that she is sitting a mere foot away from me.

"Well, Jadelyn. I am sorry to say that we are out of time." I smile at him and stand walking back to my chair "Jadelyn West. Tribute from District 12" chimes Sinjin, with a huge smile on his face. I sit back down in my seat, and I can feel my heart racing in my chest- I had to stop this infatuation I had with this girl. Because that's all it was, a stupid infatuation, and the more she got to me, the easier it would be for her to kill me.

_**A/N: **__ Took me a while to write this chapter, so I hope you like it. Not much Cade, but there will be much more coming soon as the next chapter will be the beginning of the games. Please read and review I appreciate all comments and opinions (good or bad) _


	6. Chapter 6

**6**

Robbie is the last person to be interviewed, he plays the audience, exaggerating his awkwardness slightly, he mumbles some of his answers and keeps his head down he is shameless. Usually he can talk to people easily. It was him who had started our friendship by talking to me when we were only four. He has a slight confidence about him usually, but whatever it is that he's doing it's working for him. People seem to be sympathetic of him; he's the young boy from District 12 who has been 'outshone' by his fellow tributes, this will earn him sponsors, even if it is just sympathy.

The buzzer sounds and Sinjin looks to Robbie "Good luck, Robert Shapiro tribute from District 12!" he chimes, the audience it upstanding and cheering. Robbie returns to his seat. We are all upstanding for the anthem. The cameras pan on all of the faces of the tributes, holding for a few seconds on each. As faces appear on the screens the crowd cheers for their favourites. When Cat's face appeared on screen the response was deafening, you could hear people whistling at her, and cheering her name. She gave a small coy, flirty giggle, but she never took her eyes off of the audience.

Each tribute had good responses but none measured up to Cat's. That was until my face appeared on the screen, and once again the crowd erupted with whistling and cheers. I smiled at them the best I could. Maybe it was true maybe I was 'Amazing' people kept saying it, perhaps it's true.

We leave the room and head back into the training centre lobby, they crowd is that big- It is filled with twenty-four tributes and their teams- that I lose Robbie near the doors. I walk to a lift and climb in. The doors are closing when a small hand stops them pressing it open. The doors revile Cat standing outside the door. She sees me and raises her eye brows as if in slight shock.

Cat walks into the lift and places a dainty finger on the number 1 button, she smiles at me, and it's a smile that I have to return. She slips her bottom lip under her teeth while waiting for the doors to close; she releases her lip from her teeth and then licks it slightly, her full lips, looking so inviting, like they usually do. "I think I janked it up" she says with a small laugh. Her doe eyes find their way to mine. She pushes the number one again, this time she is a bit more forceful.

"Looks like it" I reply. She smiles at me again. She looks at me for a short while, the silence making the situation a little awkward. She then looks down at her feet, and I can see it in her eyes that she is trying to think of something to say.

"Well done on your score by the way" she flicks her eyes to me before turning her body so she is stood facing me, the doors close and a small smile erupts on her face. The smile shows some form of relief at the fact she hasn't actually broken the lift.

"Thanks" I reply "You too" her smile never falters I wonder how her jaw isn't aching yet. I also wonder if this personality is just an act, a way of drawing you in, like poison ivy, it seems perfectly harmless on the outside, but the reality is different.

"Thanks..." she replies her eyes look me up and down before she is pulled away by the doors opening "This is me" she says with a small shrug she points out of the door, and turns stopping in the door way keeping her hand placed on the edge of it so it doesn't close. "You look really beautiful"

I can feel my cheeks burning. And my heart does flips- I know it sounds cheesy but it does. I feel a smile spread to my face. "Thanks you look amazing too" I reply, she looks down at her feet. Her cheeks glow slightly, as mine do.

"Thanks" she giggled, it was a musical sound and it rang lightly through my ears. She sighs. "Bye Jade" she waves at me, just jiggling her fingers like she always has. There something in her eyes that I haven't seen there before. They shine like always, but there seems to be something new in them, but what it is I don't know. I wave back at her and smile, and then she turns on her heel and she's gone. I lean back against the wall of the lift and place a hand on my stomach, butter flies seemed to have taken residence in side it. I ride in the lift alone now, with only my thoughts; and they are thick of Cat, her voice, the way she looks, the way she moves, everything about her. I don't know how much more of this I can take.

I place a cool hand next to my cheek, they still burn slightly, it doesn't take long to reach the 12th floor, and when the doors open Robbie is stood waiting for me, "There you are, I found you" he says smiling at me.

"I wasn't lost" I say with a shrug, Robbie looks at me reading my expression, my cheeks still burn slightly, not like before though, and the fluttering in my stomach has subsided too.

"Come on the others are in the dining car. I said I'd wait" He explains, he really does look handsome in his suit, although he does still stand awkwardly holding on to the cuffs, pulling the sleeves down slightly, that being said he certainly isn't the shy quiet boy who sat opposite Sinjin in the interviews. We walk to the dining car together.

"There they are!" calls Erwin "The tributes from District 12. Who may I say made a splash at the interviews" Once again Erwin sat sipping coconut milk through a straw. I walk past them smiling. I take one of just about everything, even though most of it will go to waste, I won't be here again after tonight. I may as well make the most of it.

I sit down at the table my plate half full of food from the capitol I hadn't ever seen and what I had only just now decided to try. "What's that?" asks Robbie pointing at a piece of fruit on my plate.

I shrug "I think it's a peach" I know I had tried this before, only the once though, not long before my dad left, the only thing I wasn't sure of was its name I bite into it and remember the sweet taste, and the fuzzy feeling of the skin.

After dinner we all go to the sitting room and watch a recap of the interviews, once again these will be played throughout the whole country. Cat walks onto the stage; if she didn't get any sponsors then none of us stood a chance.

Everyone else is as I remembered them to be, quite bland each with only one redeeming quality. And then it's my interview. The reaction from the audience is a lot louder than I remember it to be, the cheering and the whistling distorting the speakers. I sit watching myself on the screen, in awe of how I looked. Finally seeing what people mean when they called me amazing; watching this has definitely boosted my self-confidence- for what it's worth.

After the anthem plays and the screen goes to black with the usual low hum, silence fills the room. Tomorrow at dawn we will be woken, and prepared for the arena. The games themselves don't start until ten- due to the residents of the capitol rising late. But the tributes are required to make an early start. No one knows where arena will be for this year's games, so there is no saying how long we are likely to be traveling. Erwin and Bernadette are not permitted to travel with us- they will be in the headquarters making deals with sponsors, they will also decide, when, how, and if we get any gifts.

Maria and Harley, however, will travel with us to the very spot from which we will enter the arena. That being said, final good byes must be said here and now. Bernadette wraps her arms around me; pulling me into a hug- I don't refuse it I hug her back. "Goodbye Jade" she whispers in my ear "Good luck. May the odds be ever I your favour" she kisses me on the cheek, and moves her head to look me in the face, within her bright blue eyes, is a tear, just hanging in the corner, waiting to be released.

She then moves over to Robbie, and I assume she says the same thing to him, because by the time she has left the room, she isn't even trying to hide her tears anymore, they free fall down her face, leaving a trail of makeup behind them.

Erwin looks at us both, his arms are crossed over his chest "Any advice?" I ask pursing my lips.

"When the gong goes try to find a water supply" he explains putting extra clarity in his voice "Don't be part of the initial battle. It's not worth it." He admits "Create as much distance from the others as you can" Robbie and I both nod in understanding.

"Anything else?" asks Robbie, his eyebrows are furrowed; they almost meet in the middle

"Try to stay alive" he shrugs; his voice is sombre when giving us this final piece of advice. I walk over to him and give him a light kiss on the cheek.

"Thank you" I whisper in his ear, and this is a thank you for everything, not just his advice now. He places his finger tips on the area I have just kissed and smiles at me, it's a smile that says 'you're welcome' and it's a smile I may never see again.

I go to my room and shower, washing off all of the makeup from the interview. I put on some underwear and climb into the big bed, soaking up everything about it; the softness, the comfort, the warmth. This could very well be my last night of comfort; I want to savour everything about it. It doesn't take me long to realise that I won't be able to sleep. Hours pass by, how many I can't be sure.

I think of the things that may face me tomorrow, the location- will it be a desert, a forest, a barren waste land? And then there's the game markers what do they have in store for us, what traps and elements do they have prepare to liven up the dull moments? What will the weather be like? Freezing cold? Or blistering heat?

The more I try to sleep the harder it becomes, my breathing is becoming too heavy, I feel like I am being crushed. I need to move, I need to get out of this room. I dive out of my bed and put on some pyjamas; a vest top and some shorts really. I run down the thin corridor, and find a door that is left ajar. My curiosity gets the better of me. I poke my head around the door, and feel the cool air hit my face. I step out and feel the cool concrete on the skin of my feet. I can hear a ruckus coming from the city below the roof, music blaring and brightly lit lights reach all the way up here

I notice somewhere in the distance, a body, a small body sitting looking over the capitol, it doesn't take me long to recognise her "Cat" I say trying to get her attention, she jolts slightly. Before turning to face me

"Hey, Jade. I thought you were someone else" her voice is shaky.

"What are you doing up here?" I ask

She shrugs her eye looking into my face "The same thing as you" I notice her voice doesn't have the same ring to it that it usually does.

"How did you find out you could get up here?" I sit next to her looking down into her face.

"Oh Euphemia, told me about it" she shrugs "I come here a lot" she admits "I think I have been here every night"

"Euphemia?" I ask.

She nods "That's my stylist, she showed me this place so that I could clear my thoughts when I needed too" her voice seems distant; she turns her head and looks out over the capitol once more.

"A-are you allowed to?" I can hear myself stutter slightly "Are the not scared you'll jump?" I can see her face more clearly now, her lips have a purple tint to them due to the colour of the night sky; her hair holds the same tone.

"You can't jump" she explains to me "It's electric" she bites her lip "I guess they thought of that" she says with a light nervous laugh.

"Come on we should be getting back to bed" I try to coax her. She shakes her head

"Don't want to miss _our_ party" the way she said 'our' with a slight bitterness to her tone, caught me off guard, she usually seemed happy. She was always smiling when I saw her that was apart from now. I stand and look over the railings. I look down over the city. Cat joins me at my side. I can faintly see goose bumps trailing up her arms. "No luck sleeping then?" she asks me.

I shake my head "Nope, I don't know how anyone could sleep tonight" I admit

"I'm pretty sure that Beck and the others will be a sleep" she plucks at her lip with her fangs before looking at me. "How are you feeling anyway?" her voice is quiet, barely even a whisper.

I take in a deep breath, realising this is the first proper conversation Cat and I have had, not just fleeting small talk because we happened to be in the same place at the same time, no, this is the type of conversation you have with a friend. "Scared" I admit "No. Terrified" I rephrase my earlier statement. "You?" I ask

She looks at me, and the look in her eyes says that she's surprised someone has asked her about how she feels. "The same as you" she sighs. I place my finger lightly on her arm; the feel of her skin makes my heart go into a meltdown.

"You'll be fine" I say, I lightly move my fingers tracing the skin on her arm; she flicks her eyes up to me.

"Don't say things like that, Jade please" the way she says my name puts the stupid butterflies back in my stomach. "Don't say things that you don't know for sure" her attitude shocks me; it's not the same bravado you get from the other careers. She takes a deep breath "I'm not ready" she shrugs.

"Ready for what?" I ask not entirely sure what she is speaking about, also I want to be able to know this girl, I want to know the surface underneath, not just what she has shown the cameras.

"Any of it… The games, dying… I'm sixteen" I can see in her expression that she is fighting back the tears. "I'm a child, I haven't really lived yet. None of us have, and they want to take our lives away from us" she stops and points down at the people dancing and singing in the street "If it was their children going into the hunger games year after year, they'd soon stop" she says, turning her attention back to me. "But at the end of the day, we're nothing to them; we just give them what they need to cope with in life- the materials that our Districts make. And these stupid games" she takes a deep breath "They don't care about us, and they never will"

"No, Cat people care they do… I" I fumble to form the rest of the sentence. Hearing the words I know I seem deluded towards the capitol, and trying to find the words to explain what I mean is hard.

"Yeah, that's why we're stood here right now." She spits. Her tone is acidy, and dripping with malice towards the capitol. She moves her arm making my fingers fall off of it. She sighs "No one ever really wins this thing anyway" she starts to move closer to me. I arc and eyebrow at her in confusions, she answers my unasked question "If you live, you have to live the rest of your life knowing you took someone else life from them. It's a lose, lose situation"

"That's not true" I try to argue with her.

"Yes it is. At some point you will kill at least one person in that arena everyone does" she takes a deep breath. "How can you find solace in that?" Her words shock me slightly; she is much wiser than she appears. "Twenty-three people are going to die" she starts to move closer to me. "I just hope that you aren't one of them" her words catch me off guard, she just told me that she would rather me win, over her…Over anyone.

She stands on her toes and places a light kiss on my cheek; her lips just skim over my skin I catch my breath slightly, shocked at her actions. "May the odds be ever in your favour, Jadelyn West" and with that she walks away from me. I brush my cheek lightly, where her lips have just been. My heart thuds in my chest, and I can feel my hands shake; the butterflies are flapping their wings rapidly. It's a strange feeling, but I love it. And I'm pretty sure, that I'm falling for Cat Valentine.

_**A/N: **__ A bit of Cade in this chapter (that's what I promised) and there is much more to come. Not in the actual games yet it will probably be a lot more exciting when that comes around. I hope you like this chapt__er anyway. Please read and review as I have said before: I appreciate all comments and opinions (good or bad)_


	7. Chapter 7

**7**

Once I am back in my bed, I drift in and out of sleep, I keep thinking about tomorrow and what it brings. I think about what Cat had said. In the back of my mind, was dread, I dreaded that she had only said those things so she could manipulate me, making it easier for her to take kill me. She would probably turn out to be the victor in the end, or one of those people driven mad by the nature of the games- they type of people who resort to anything even cannibalism if it means they can survive for just a little longer. I then think of Robbie, and how he will cope when he is placed in the arena, he isn't good with many weapons, his strongest point is his strength, but how will strength manage against an oncoming spear.

I don't see Robbie in the morning. Harley comes for me before dawn; he gives me a simple robe to wear until we reach the catacombs where we will be dressed for the arena. He guides me to the roof, where a hovercraft appears, it drops down a ladder. I place my hands and feet on the lower steps, and I instantly freeze to the spot. Small currents run through the ladder, keeping me locked in place as I slowly rise into the hovercraft, I expect that once I am inside I will be released, my expectation was wrong.

A woman in a white coat walks over to me; in her hand I notice a syringe. "This is just your tracker, Jadelyn, the stiller you are, the quicker and more efficiently I can place it. Still, how can I be anything different when I am glued to the ladder?

Whether I can move or not, I still feel the sharp sting as the tracker in inserted into my inner arm. With this the game markers will know where I am at all times, They wouldn't want to lose any of us. As soon as the tracker is imbedded into my arm I am released from the ladder. Harley soon appears in the hover craft. An Avox boy with light blonde hair guides us to the room where breakfast will be served. Despite the food smelling and looking delicious I eat nothing. I know that if I eat anything my nerves will get the better of me and I will end up vomiting. We haven't been traveling long before the windows turn black signalling that we are nearing the arena.

When the hovercraft lands, Harley and I walk over to the ladders, we are lowered into the catacombs that lie under the arena. We follow the instructions, to my destination; there is a small room for my preparation. In the capitol this is known as the 'Launch Room'. Everything is new, I will be the first and last tribute to use this launch room- the arenas are historical sites, and landmarks for capitol residents. The arenas are preserved after the games, residents of the capitol holiday at them, they can re watch the games, visit spots where people died, and even do some re-enactments. They say that the food is amazing.

I shower and then clean my teeth, Harley styles me hair, in its usual simple curls, this time when I am on camera, my face will be clear of make-up. Then my clothes arrive, they will be the same for each tribute. Harley has had no say in what I will be wearing. He doesn't even know what's inside the package. He helps me dress in the under garments, simple black trousers and a red long sleeved T-shirt, a sturdy black belt, and a red hooded jacket that falls to the top of my thighs.

"The material in the jacket reflects body heat" he explains to me "Expect some cold weather" The boots are worn over some very thin socks. The boots are made from soft leather, and are very comfortable- they will be good for running that I can tell. I think I'm finished when Harley holds out his hand. Placed on his palm is a pin, it's small and circular within the ring is a bird in flight.

"They let you wear something from your district" He says "To remind you of home; I noticed you didn't have anything. I know it's not from your district but I won't tell if you won't" he smiles at me, I take the pin from his hand and place it on my jacket "I had to lie to the board tell them I found it on your reaping outfit, it only just passed as well" he smiles again. "Is everything comfortable?" he asks, his voice soft, and barely even a whisper.

I moved around the room, jogging, and running and walking "Yeah fits like a glove" I said with a meagre smile.

"Then all we can do is wait for them to call you" Harley "Unless you think you could manage some food?" I shake my head in answer to his question. He offers me a glass of water which I have to accept, my tongue keeps sticking to the roof of my mouth. My nervousness soon turns into terror as I think of what waits around the corner I could be dead within the hour, or even less. I fiddle with my fingers.

"Jade, do you want to talk?" I shake my head, but I outstretch a cold hand to him, he takes it and our fingers become entwined. We sit like this in silence, until a friendly woman's voice announces that it is time to be launched into the arena. Still holding Harley's hand I walk over and stand on the circular metal plate. "Remember what Erwin said" he presses "Run, find water and create distance, the rest should follow" I nod "And remember this" he looks me in the eyes when he speaks, he voice firm, but still smooth as ever "I'm not allowed to bet, but if I could, I'd bet on you" he says.

"Really?" I mumbled.

"Really" he says he kisses me on the forehead "Go amaze them, Jade" and then the glass cylinder rises separating us breaking our hand hold. He taps his fingers under his chin, reminding me to keep my head held high. I hold my head high as he said to, I keep my eyes forwards, I can feel the metal plate moving, and for around fifteen second I am submerged into darkness. I feel the metal plate pushing me out of the cylinder, and out into the open air. For a moment, my eyes are dazed and confused due to the light. I am conscious of a strong wind, and the smell of pine trees, along with a small amount of drizzle that blows around the air causing it to be damp despite this, the sun is still beating down on us. Then I hear the legendary announcer Bertram Sisman and his voice echo's around me. "Ladies and Gentlemen, let the seventy-fourth annual Hunger Games begin!"

Sixty seconds. That's how long we have to stay standing on the metal podium, before the sound of the gong releases us. If you step off before the sixty seconds are up, landmines blow your legs off. Sixty seconds to take in every single one of the tributes, who all stand and equal distance away from the cornucopia. A black curved cylinder, that starts wide and thins out as it gets to the end, the mouth of which must be seven meters high, and it is overflown with things that will give us life; weapons, food, water, medicines. As the good decrease in usefulness they are spread further away from the cornucopia. For example just inches away from me is a clear plastic sheet, it would be useful in heavy rain, but that's about it, and in the mouth of the cornucopia is a tent, this would protect you from any type of weather.

I notice that the ground we stand on is flat. To my left I see nothing but trees, spaced far apart and to my right, is a small lake. I notice out in front of me other than the cornucopia, is a wooded area I know that this is where Erwin will want me to go. That's where I'll find my water. But I am tempted when I can see what is up for grabs, everything I need, just meters away from me. And I know for a fact, if I don't get it then someone else will, most likely one of the careers, they're the ones who usually survive the initial attack. They will divide up the essentials between themselves. And then they catch my eye, a set of knives, each one a different size from the others, I see them shining in the sun. _They're mine_ I think _they are there for me. _I know I'm not the fastest person in the world, but I could get them, I know that, it's only forty meters away.

I know I can get them, but what I don't know is if I can get away just as fast, by the time I have scrambled to get them, others will have reached the weapons, and I may be able to pick off a few people, but if all six of the careers come charging at me, with swords and spears and god knows what else, I don't stand a chance.

I look to the right of me and see Robbie stood about four tributes away; his feet are positioned to run, in the direction of the wooded area. I then look to my left, and see Cat, about three tributes away from me her eyes locked on the bow and sheath arrows, that lay next to the knives. The drizzle is making a slight curl appear in her hair. It is while I am watching Cat that the gong sounds. And I've missed my chance. I fumble before running, I see Cat sprinting for the bow and sheath of arrows, and she is the first to reach the cornucopia.

I set off running, when I reach the cornucopia, my hand reaches for the first thing I see, it's a blue back pack, as I pull on it. I feel someone yank it back the other way. I see the boy's face, it's the young red haired boy from 10, he stares at me his eyes panicked, and then I feel blood hit my face. I look down and see a spear protruding from his body. He falls forwards pushing the spear, further through him. I see Beck stood behind him, his eyes filled with some sick form of excitement, they tell me to run and I don't argue, I sprint knowing I'm his next victim, I have seen him in training, he never misses. I run into the wooded area, and I know that he won't follow me in here. Not when there is so much action going on out there. My sprint soon turns to a jog.

I jog for the most part of the day. I stumble over roots of trees that are out growing. I am deep within the wooded area. During my jogging I scare away a rabbit. The only source of food I have seen all day. I keep jogging until I feel safe; I stop under a tall tree and open my bag to see what is inside. I stop looking when I hear the sound of the cannon, the cannon counts how many people have died, I allow myself to count each boom. One, two, three, on and on until I reach eleven, only thirteen tributes remain. I claw at the dried blood from the small boy from 10. He is definitely dead; I wonder who else lies with him.

I dread the thought of Robbie being one of the eleven who have died in the opening hours. I dread Robbie dying at all. And then the thought of Cat comes to my mind, the girl who made a mad dash for the cornucopia, the girl who just last night had told me how scared she was. I hope that she had managed to survive to bloodbath.

I empty out the contents of the bag, to see what I have retrieved from the cornucopia; a thin black sleeping bag that reflects body heat. A pack of crackers, a pack of dried beef strips (at least I have some form of food), a bottle of iodine a box of matches, a small coil of wire, some sunglasses. And a two-litre bottle with a cap for carrying water, that is bone dry. I have no water, would it really have been that hard to fill the bottle?

I sit for a while, under the tree, the drizzle still swirls around in the air. I become aware of the dryness in my mouth and throat, the cracks beginning to form in my lips. I've been without a drink all day long; I've been moving, and sweating. Usually I can have a drink whenever I want if it's warm and I'm out and about, District 12 is full of streams or if needed you can always melt snow. The sky around me is turning black, and I know that soon it will be night fall; this will be the most likely time for a surprise attack of any kind I can't let myself give into sleep, not yet. I put everything back in the bag, and stand up, ready to set of walking again looking for a source of water, I will only be able to manage a few days without water, and in all honesty, I don't want to test the theory of how many days exactly I could handle.

I think of the animals that will live in this area, they have to drink too, so if only I can find some tracks of some sort I should be able to find what I'm looking for. My stomach lets out a low rumble, but I refuse to open my supply of beef and crackers just yet. I search the trees, and ground for plants that you can eat out in the wilderness, but with the darkness growing it becomes increasingly harder. I rummage for a while, until I find a small piece of fruit. It's a peach, I can feel the fluffy skin on my fingers I know this will quench both my hunger and my thirst, even if it is only for a short while.

I hold the peach securely in my hand; I wonder around the arena, the cool night air beginning to bite at the skin on my cheeks, I can feel my lip trembling. I quickly eat the peach, letting the sweet juice lay on my lips to give them some moister. I find a sturdy tree and climb it- with some difficulty. I find a fork in the tree and arrange my sleeping bag so it's in somewhat comfortable position, I push my backpack to the foot of the sleeping bag, and I slide in afterwards. As a safety measure, I remove my belt and harness myself in the tree with it. Now if I role over in my sleep, I won't fall to the ground.

I am thankful that I took my risk in getting this bag, I know now, that this sleeping bag that reflects body heat will be a great help during the colder nights. I am just small enough to be able to get the sleeping bag up over my head, and pull my hood up as well. I might be able to get a few hours' sleep; the only problem now is trying to find a water source, as that one small peach will not be enough.

Night has fully come when I hear the anthem that signals the death recap. Through the branches in the tree I can just make out the seal of the capitol that appears to be floating in the sky. In reality, I am just looking at a large screen that has been transported by one of the hovercrafts. The anthem fades out and the screen goes to black for a moment. If I were at home, I would be watching each and every killing, but it's thought to give an unfair advantage to the other tributes- for example, if I were to get my hands, on a set of knives and killed someone, then my secret would be out. No when you are in the arena all you see is the same photograph that they showed when revealing our training score, only this time, instead of scores they show your district number.

I take a deep breath as the faces of the eleven dead tributes appear, I tick them off one by one on my fingers the first face I see is the face that belongs to the girl from 3 meaning that the tributes from 1 and 2 all survived- not really a shock there. I begin to breath slightly easier now that I knew Cat was okay. Then the girl from 4- this one was a surprise, usually all the career tributes make it through the first day, the girl from 5, and both tributes from 6, 7 and 8, only one left. The boy from 10, his young face is the last we see before the seal is shown again, with the last few notes of the anthem, before the sky goes black.

My heart feels lighter, as I breathe a sigh of relief, both Cat and Robbie are safe, for another night at least. I then try to think of whose left. There's five careers left after the girl from 2 has died, the boy from 5, both from 9, the girl from 10 and both from 11 and then me and Robbie. That's it, that's the thirteen that's left.

I let my body relax after not getting much sleep last night, and the day's traveling, I don't know how much longer I could stay awake for anyway. _At __least I don't snore. _I think.

I am woken by the sound of a breaking branch. I don't know how long I have slept for, maybe three hours at most. The tip of my nose is icy, as are my cheeks. _Snap_ the sound of another breaking branch, but this isn't a branch under some ones foot; this is the sound of someone emerging from the trees. I assume that it's coming from my right; I turn over noiselessly, and carefully. I see nothing a first, other than blackness, and all I can hear is rustling coming from the direction I face.

Then I see a spark, and a small fire begin to bloom. A pair of hands warms over the flame, but who they belong too I can't be sure. I have to purse my lips to stop me from screaming names at the person who sits by the fire. What was going through their mind to make them think that lighting a fire at night fall was a wise idea?

I know that everyone isn't as lucky as me in having a way to find warmth, but any wise person would just grin and bear it until dawn. I mean they might as well be waving a flag and screaming 'Come and get me!'

I lie smouldering in my sleeping bag thinking how easy it would be to take out my new neighbour; all it would take is a large rock. My main instinct was to flee not fight, but this person is obviously an idiot, and idiots are dangerous. The sky is still dark, but I know that soon dawn will be breaking. I'm beginning to think that we- and when I say we I mean myself and the bright spark who thought that starting a fire would be a wise idea- we might actually have gone unnoticed. But then I hear the sound of several pairs of feet breaking into a run. They've got her, and I know now that it's a her because of the pleading and then the ear piercing scream of agony, that erupts from the body.

Then I hear, laughter and congratulations, and then someone cries out "Twelve down eleven to go!" this gets a round of more, cheers. Obviously there is a pack of them fighting together, no surprises there. You often get alliances at the start of the games. Usually it's the strong taking out the weak, but then things get too tense and they turn on each other.

I hear them searching for supplies "Look, let's just leave before it starts to smell" sneers a voice, and I'm sure it belongs to Ryder, the male tribute from District 2. I hear murmurs and then I hear them heading towards me, I can hear their footsteps getting louder, crunching on the small twigs that lay on the floor. _They know I'm here_ I tell myself over and over.

I can see that they have torches. All I can see are arms, legs and maybe the odd boot here and there. I turn to stone and hold my breath. I daren't do anything, in case I draw attention to myself that is if they haven't already found me.

"Shouldn't we have heard a cannon by now?" asks a female voice, which I am sure belongs to the female tribute from 2.

"Yeah" agrees a male's voice, one I am unfamiliar with.

"Unless she's not dead" argues the same female voice as before

"Impossible" scoffs Ryder "I hit her myself"

"We should go back and check, we don't want to have to chase her again"

"I said she's dead!" shouts Ryder.

A small argument breaks out, among the tributes that stand below me. That is until one voice rises above the rest, silencing them all "We're wasting time. I'll go back and finish the job. And then we can move on!" I can't believe my ears, the voice that holds so much power over the others belongs to Robbie.

_**A/N: **__ No cade really in this chapter, but in the next one there will be a lot more. I hope you liked this chapter, please read and review I really do appreciate all comments and opinions (good or bad) a__nd thank you to everyone who has reviewed so far (: _


	8. Chapter 8

**8**

Thank goodness I had the idea of harnessing myself in the tree. I roll sideways, out of the fork in which I laid. I find myself facing the ground. I have on hand placed on a branch on the tree. And my feet grapple for the pack at the bottom of my sleeping bag for secureness. I am sure that there must have been some noise when I tripped sideways. But luckily the tributes below are too caught up in their own argument. "Go on then, go see for yourself" says Ryder.

I just catch sight of Robbie as he walks towards the woods. I can see from a torch light, that his face has been heavily beaten. And there is a small amount of blood coming from his hand. Obviously, we had both ignored Erwin's advice; we had both headed for the cornucopia straight away, which could be forgiven, but this. Teaming up with the careers, no one from District 12 would ever think about doing this. Career tributes are usually arrogant, and overbearing. They are better fed and stronger but that's only because they are the capitols lap dogs. They are hated by all apart from those from their own districts. I can't imagine the things they are saying about Robbie back home, nor do I want to.

The careers are silent until he is well out of ear shot, and then they begin to speak in hushed voices. "Let's just kill him and get it over with"

"No He's not hurting anyone, plus, he's handy with that sword" says Ryder "And besides he's our best chance of finding her" it doesn't take me long to realise, that when he says 'her' he means me. I purse my lips once again, to stop myself from shouting out at them.

It's Beck who is speaking now, his tone is soft. "Yeah and if Cat is with anyone that's who she'll be with" Cat's not with them, and they think she's with me.

"What does it matter where Cat is? Why do we even care? She's irritating!" argues Tara the girl from 2 I can only just see her, she stands close to Ryder, but her body is directed to words someone else. I don't know how anyone can be this way about their supposed 'friends'.

"It matters to me where she is." Snarls Beck "And she'll be with her. They both scored high. And you saw how she was with Cat, trying to worm her way in with her."

"You really think Cat would take off with someone else?" asks Ryder. "She knows that we would be her best chance of survival. She might not be smart, but she isn't a complete idiot" he spits. The sound of Robbie running back silences them. "Was she dead?" asks Ryder.

"No" I can hear Robbie panting "But she is now" the cannon sounds and then Robbie speaks again "Ready to move on?"

The pack sets off running just as dawn is breaking. A bird's song fills the air; I remain in my awkward position. My muscles are beginning to ache. I hoist myself back onto the branch. I have to get down. I need to get going for the day. But for a while, I just lie there thinking about the things I have just heard. Not only is Robbie teaming with the careers, but he is going to help them find me, all because of my score, and the fact that Cat is missing.

The bird suddenly falls silent. Leaving a single note hanging in the air, high above where the girl lays a hovercraft appears. Large metal teeth come from it and slowly, ever so slowly, the girl is lifted up inside it. Once the hovercraft is gone, the birds continue singing.

I have to tell myself to move. I work my way out of the sleeping bag, before rolling it up and putting it back in the pack. I sigh, I know that with my position and where I was camping last night, the cameras won't have been able to get a good view of me. But I know they will be tracking me now. I unharness myself and jump out of the tree. As I land, I know that the cameras will be sure to get a close up of me. The capitol audience will be thrilled to know that I have been hiding and have listened to everything that has just been said.

I work my way out of the dark dingy trees and out into the breaking day light. I look up towards the cameras; I arch an eye brow and give them a crooked smile. My stomach lets out a low rumble and my tongue it once again, clinging to the roof of my mouth. Water, I need water, more than anything. If my hunger gets too bad, I can always open my supply of dried beef and crackers.

It's a lot hotter today than it was yesterday; there is no wind or rain in the air, just heat beating down on me. I remove my jacket, not needing it at this moment in time. And I stuff it into the pack where everything else I have is. My head feels heavy. And I feel tired. Even though I haven't done anything today, I find myself having to stop a lot more than I should. My lips are dry, and the cracks are becoming deeper, I lick my lips and taste blood from where the skin has broken.

As the day continues, I know that I am headed for disaster. My head feels heavier; my tongue is refusing to be moist. The sun is stinging my eyes, I dig out the sunglasses from my pack, but they make the situation worse, all they do is blur my vision. Its late afternoon, before I start feeling more comfort; I see a batch of blueberry's sitting in front of me. I rush over the best I can, and take one in my hand. I am just about to push it up to my lips, when I notice the shape, it's slightly different to a blueberry, I pierce the skin, and the juice that seeps out is blood red. I flick the berry away, not wanting to risk eating it.

I stand once again, and head off down a valley, in search for water. I can't give up hope not yet. All I see as I am walking is trees; there is nothing else around me. I walk until night fall. My hunger is now burning in my stomach, and I have no choice but to open my supply of food. Although it works wonders for my hunger, the dryness of the food only enhances my thirst. I find a tall tree and climb it; I struggle with every move I make. I harness myself in as I did last night, and climb into my sleeping bag.

The anthem plays, and the seal of Panem shines in the night sky. They then show the face of the girl who was apparently from 11. My fear of the career pack is nothing compared to my burning thirst, or fear of dehydrating. They were moving away from me, and any way everyone has to sleep, and with their being next to no water, they may even have to go back to the lake for refills. Maybe, that's what we will all have to do.

I wake in the morning with my head pounding. I fall from my tree; I lay on the floor for a while, trying to adjust my thoughts. _I hav__e to do this. _I tell myself _you promised Taylor everything would be okay_ I stand and set off walking. I have nothing to help me, I have no weapons, and I have no food apart from what's left of my crackers and beef. I am totally vulnerable. Anyone could come and take me down at any minute.

I _need_ water; I look up to the cameras "Water" I say my voice hoarse. I hope to see a parachute floating down from the sky, but alas nothing. Erwin is obviously punishing me for not listening to him; I refuse to believe that I don't have any sponsors. I stand leaning against the tree. I feel tears burning in my eyes, but I will not let them see my crying, they haven't yet, and they never will. I have to keep looking. _Do it for Taylor_ I tell myself, I can't let him see me like this. I have to be strong. I keep walking until late morning, but it's no use, every time I move I feel a stab of pain throughout my body… And it's not the good kind of pain. I sit, down on the floor, accepting my fate, if I am going to die, I would rather it be here and now, it's not such a bad place to die, it's nice and quiet. I guess.

I here rustling coming from a bush nearby, and then I hear footsteps, running towards me. I look up to see Cat heading towards me her bow and arrow positioned to fire. She sees me and lowers it. Her face is muddy, and so are her clothes. Her jacket is fastened around her waist. She slowly, but surely, places the arrow back in the sheath that is strapped along her back. I notice that she is also carrying a pack on her back, like mine but a little bit smaller.

She moves over to me slowly. "Are you okay?" she asks, concern fills her voice. She could kill me here and now if she wanted. She keeps having quick glances over her shoulder, before her eyes finally settle on my face.

I shake my head "No" my voice cracks "I'm so thirsty" I admit, I haven't got it in me to pretend to be strong. She sits down beside me, and swings the bag off her shoulder; she opens it and hands me a flask of water. I don't think about what I'm doing I snatch the water from her hand and take huge gulps of it. I can smell the strong sent of the earth on her, she smells like mud and grass. I drain the flask. "I'm sorry" I say quietly handing it back to her.

"That's fine" she shrugs "Follow me". I stand and follow her, I don't know why I trust her this much, all I know is I do trust her. She takes me in the direction she came from. We don't walk for long, before we come to a source of water. I can't believe how close I was to it. The water looks clean and clear, water lilies float on top of it.

I run down to the lake opening my bag I retrieve my bottle and fill it with water. I have to remind myself to add the required amount of drops of iodine. Cat refills her bottle and does the same. She also pulls a few of the lilies from the water and talks about how meals can be made with them. To me it was impressive how much she knew about living in the wild. Waiting half an hour for our water to be safe to drink is the hardest part. But while we wait Cat opens her bag once more and pulls out some meat she hands me a leg of some form of wild bird, which again, I don't refuse.

"How did you find all this?" I ask

"Well, I was trained from a young age, I was taught everything you need to know about these games" she explains "Hunting, what plants you can and can't eat, how to use a weapon" she looks down at her bottle that she holds between her knees. "It's not just about fighting, it's about living, and that's exactly what they teach you… How to live"

It had never occurred to me before, how much they would teach them, I just thought it was how to use a weapon, and then their sponsors would do the rest.

We sit eating the water lilies for a while, I even share some of my crackers and beef with her, it's the least I could do. I can't be sure if the half an hour is up yet, but I drink my water any way. I look around me, and see that we are concealed by tall trees; they will be perfect for making camp. The sky around us starts growing dark and the weather becomes icy; Cat and I both have to put on our jackets, Cat pulls the hood up on hers, her jacket is way too big for her, the hood hangs loosely at her head, and if she pulls it all the way down, it covers her eyes and most of her nose.

By the time the anthem plays I feel a lot better than I did this morning. There are no faces, no one died today. Tomorrow I plan to stay here, camouflaging my bag, which by the looks of things Cat has already done to hers.

"Where have you been sleeping?" asks Cat. She washes her face quickly, removing all the mud and grass.

"In the trees how about you?" I feel comforted with Cat around, a lot more than I did when I was alone. She has this vibe about her that just makes you feel at ease.

"Here" she points to where she's sat. "On the floor"

"What are you using for warmth?" I ask, noticing that Cat doesn't have the same things in her pack that I have in mine.

"My clothes" she shrugs "You?"

"I have a sleeping bag."

"Lucky you, all I got in my pack was a bottle some rope, and some matches"

I take a deep breath "Do you want to share it?" she smiles and nods. The pair of us set off climbing up a tree; I am surprised with how fast she gets up there she's like a squirrel. She holds out a hand for me, her skin is cold and soft. A twinge shoots through me when our hands connect, like a spark of some kind. I help harness her into the tree, she watches me as I do this here eyes never leave my hands. We stuff both of our packs into the sleeping bag, before we climb in.

There's not much room in the sleeping bag, Cat and I have to lie close together. I can feel her warm breath on my neck. Her hood is still pulled over her head; I grab the top of the sleeping bag and pull it over both of us. The night is colder than last night. Cat's head is pressed against my chest, I can feel my heart beating rapidly, and she must notice it too, if she does, she doesn't mention it. "Thanks Jade" she whispers, before she lets out a heavy breath. "Night" she says before she closes her eyes to sleep.

"It's okay, thanks for what you did today" I say. "Night Cat" I close my eyes, and a small smile spreads on my face. Cat valentine saved my life today, and I don't know why. But then I remember what she said on the roof, about people being killed and dying, and how she hopes I'm not one of them.

A few hours later, the sound of stampeding feet wakes us. We look around bewildered, it's still dark, but there was no possible way we could miss the huge wall of fire advancing on us. Our fingers fumble on the belts that harness us in the tree; we fall to the ground still inside the sleeping bag. Cat scrambles out first pulling her bow and arrows out with her. We have no time to arrange our things luckily, our packs and water, are at the bottom of the bag. I role it up and sling it over my shoulder. And we set off at a run; there is nothing but fire, sparks fly off in all directions.

All we can do is follow the animals it's hard to keep up with Cat at first, until she grabs my wrist and drags me with her. We both trust the animals' instincts; after all they are sharper than our own. The heat is looming on us, even worse is the smoke; we use our hoodies to mask our mouths. We run, choking, our faces being scratched by branches that come out of the thick grey mist.

There is no way that this is a campfire gone wrong, this has been done by the game makers, to give the audience something to watch, after all there were no deaths today, the games must be being viewed as dull, and that is something the games must never be.

We both cower behind a rock for a minute, our breathing ragged and heavy. Cat leans over and starts to vomit aggressively; I can't stop coughing I can feel my lungs filling with the thick black smoke. She retches until her stomach is unable to produce anything else. She swills out her mouth quickly, and then we are once again on the move. This fire must die eventually, not because it can't be fuelled, but once again because of the residents of the capitol, claiming to be bored.

We aren't running for long before the first fire ball is thrown at us. This will entertain them for sure, the fire was just the initial motivation the game has gone up a step. There is no sure way to tell where the fire balls are being thrown from, all I know is that it's not a hovercraft. I hear a hiss and then another fire ball is hurtling towards us. It catches me on my hip, a scream erupts from me. I am pushed to the ground by Cat; she pats at the flames with her hands, which are covered by her sleeves. She winces as her skin is burnt by the flames, but somehow she manages to put out the fire. I am shaking too hard to move, and I know Cat won't leave me.

_This is it._ I tell myself, _game over_. If the game makers want to, they can finish us both off right here and now. We both sit, watching the flames descending on us. But the attack suddenly stops. The game makers don't want us dead… Yet. It is a known fact that they could kill each and every one of the tributes within the opening seconds, but where would be the fun in that? The fun is seeing us kill each other.

The game makers have done this before, just as a reminder that they can. But mostly, they like to get the tributes face to face. And if they have stopped firing at Cat and I, then someone else must be close. I make myself stand; I am closely followed by Cat. My hip is causing me serious pain, I hate burns, they must be the worst kind of pain there is, even minor ones. I would try to climb a tree, but with the state Cat's hands are in, and with my hip, it wouldn't be wise to climb anything.

It's not long before daylight starts to break. I doubt that if any tributes surface Cat would be able to use her weapon, she keeps looking at her hands, tiny blisters and welts, are surfacing on her skin. I am so weary that I don't even realise I am ankle deep in water, that is until Cat nudges me, bringing me back from my thoughts. We stand in yet another lake, but this time the water is murky and brown. Cat plunges into the water, hands first. I follow her lead, soaking my hip in the cold lake. Cat takes a deep breath, before submerging her head into the water.

She comes back up and shakes her head; I can hear the sound of her hair whipping her face. Tiny spits of water fly off at me. She uses the backs of her hands covered with the jacket, to rub off any ash and blood from her face.

My head is just rested atop the water when she wades over to me. Her face is perfectly clean; her skin is shining from the water, small droplets fall from her lips, chin and eyelashes. She gets close to me; I can feel her breath on my face. She cleans my face of all the blood and ash, using her jacket as she did her own she has a small smile on her face. She moves her hands away, and places them back in the water, she sucks in some air caused by the pain of the water on her injuries. My hip is tingling as the water sloshes around it.

I don't even think about what I am doing until I am doing it, I hold Cat's face in my hands, and place a light kiss on her lips. They are so soft, my heart skips a beat. She kisses back but it's only momentarily before she pulls away. A small smile creeps to her face.

She composes herself and starts to speak "I think we should stay here for a while, wash the burns properly. Get some fresh water and then set off again" she pushes her head under the water, so that all I can see is the beginning of her nose and her eyes. Her doe eyes are looking straight into mine. My heart begins to beat frantically, and the butterflies are back.

I nod "Yeah" my voice cracks slightly, "We should probably be out of here by late afternoon though" she pulls her head out of the water and smiles showing her teeth, and the dimple in her cheek. My heart beats rapidly in my chest, the butterflies, flap their tiny wings so hard they will soon be breaking free. She throws her head back, letting the sun shine down on her face, before she separates us with a small gap. What had just happened between us- the kiss I mean- will be viewed as drastic by… Everyone and it could either help us or hinder us in this game.

_**A/N: **__The Cade starts here… I hope you enjoy this chapter. Please read and review I appreciate all comments and opinions (good or bad) And I have take__n in account everything you have said. Thank you to everyone who has commented so far. (:_


	9. Chapter 9

**9**

Cat and I remain in the water; every move we make disrupts the muck and grime from the bottom of the lake. The weather has grown cooler as the morning has drawn out, and the water was making me shiver. But whenever I step out and let the air hit my burn, it itches and throbs, making it hard for me to breathe properly.

I step out of the water, and deal with the pain. I roll up my shirt and pull my trousers down slightly, trying not to knock the wound. My hip is slightly swollen, and the blister looks fit to pop. The skin around it is cut, and weeping with puss. "Hey, Cat" I call to her. She moves from the water, her hair is starting to curl slightly, I can't see why her stylist had straightened it so much it looks good it suits her.

"What?" she asks sitting beside me

"Does this burn look infected to you?" I show her my hip, she looks away gasping, covering her mouth with her hand

"Oh my god" she says, not looking at me.

"That is infected" I say smiling. I prod at the blister and cut.

"Jade I really don't think that's a good idea" she turns her head to face me now.

"Yeah thanks, I appreciate your input on that" I say sarcastically still looking down at my wound.

"Jade, I'm being serious!" her eyebrows are furrowed. Her forehead is covered in deep creases. She sighs and shakes her head slightly "We should get going any way" she says standing; she swings her bag and sheath of arrows over her shoulder. She holds the bow in her right hand. Her fist curled around it loosely. I quickly pack away my things, and rearrange my clothing, so that the wound is out of sight. I sit for a while.

She offers out her spare hand to help me up. I grab it and she sucks in some air, trying to breathe through the pain, her friendly gesture, soon turns into a hand hold, our fingers entwined in each other's I try not to hold onto her hand too tight; I don't want to knock her burns. Her skin still has the smooth cold feel to it. She looks up at me and smiles; I gently rub her thumb with mine.

She is still smiling when she speaks "I might need my hand, in case we see any of the others"

"Oh" I say casually. I let go of her hand, letting mine flop to my side. "Will you even be able to use that?" I ask; I hate thinking that she won't be able to and that the pair of us will be left helpless if confronted by another tribute. After all Cat's bow and arrows is our only hope. I remain weapon less.

"I don't know" she says absentmindedly, "I guess we'll find out sooner or later".

She walks through the bushes gingerly. She gives a nod in the direction she is going, letting me know that the path is clear. Once we are away from the lake, the arena is more open than before, very few trees conceal us. Cat goes around picking fruit from trees, and pulling plants from the ground. She hands me some fruit, as I take hold of it, I recognise the feel of the skin. I take a huge bite of the peach; the sweet juice fills my mouth, the peach is fast becoming my favourite fruit.

We walk for miles, and there is no sign of anyone else. No cannons have fired, so far everyone who was alive last night, still held that status. The sky around us has grown dark, we had been eating plants and fruit all day, the weather was icy. A small drop of rain fell from the sky, and hit my cheek, the cold water stung my skin. It wasn't long after the first drop fell, that the rain started to pour.

Although our jackets worked well in the cold air, rain soaked right through, making the material cling to your arms. Our jackets are sodden before we know it. We both set off at a run, trying to find the best form of shelter. We come across, a tall oak tree. And take residence under it for a while. Although it doesn't stop all the rain, it's better than being out in the open.

My stomach lets out a low rumble "I'm so hungry" I say as I wrap my arm around my stomach. Cat sighs.

"We don't have much left. We'll definitely have to do some more hunting tomorrow." She hands out the last of the meat, along with some of the plants she picked early. I dish out my remaining crackers, and the two of us sit watching the teaming rain bounce as it hits the floor.

Her lips have started to turn a slight shade of blue, and her skin is pale white. All of her usual colour has drained from her due to the weather. I move closer to her, she rests her head on my shoulder. I place a hand on her knee. Usually I hate being this close to people. Usually I hate people. But Cat's different.

The rain slows down; all I can hear are tiny patters where the rain drops are hitting leaves and stones. It's peaceful to watch. The smell of damp soil fills the air. It reminds me of the day of the reaping, the day when my life changed completely.

I can feel her eyes on my face, although her head never moves, I know she's looking at me. I look down at her "What?" I ask.

"Nothing" she says, moving her head from my shoulder, she runs a hand through her hair, before placing it on her thigh with her palm facing upwards. Without even thinking about it, I slip my fingers through hers, once again our fingers are entwined. She squeezes my hand slightly; her hand feels like a block of ice.

"Cat, what's wrong?" I ask.

"Nothing" she says "I'm just thinking" she admits.

"Thinking about what?" I couldn't believe I was actually asking her. I never usually cared enough about people to ask them, I didn't even care enough about Robbie or my mum. The only person I ever really truly cared enough to ask about was Taylor.

"Home" she admits.

"What about home?" I can feel her hand tightening around mine once more. She turns her head to look at me; her eyes seem full of thought. I have never seen them like this before.

"My family" she sighs "I just wonder if they're thinking about me, or what they are thinking about me"

"Of course they'll be thinking about you. And they'll be thinking amazing things" I put emphasis on the word amazing.

"You don't know that" she says "They could be thinking horrible things" I can see her stifling tears.

"No they won't be. They'll be proud of you, and they'll be so happy knowing that you're okay." I try to reassure her, although things like this aren't my forte. Usually I would make a sarcastic or mean comment and walk away, but I can't. "Trust me Cat"

She turns her head away from me for no more than a second. And then her eyes are locked on mine again. "That's all I want, to make them proud" she admits, with a small shrug.

"You will be, and not just you're parents you'll be making the whole of District 1 proud" I couldn't understand why I was being so nice to her. Even people that I have known for years didn't get this treatment. A small smile spreads along her face.

"I hope that's true" she slips her bottom lip under her teeth, scrapping them along it until it is released. She lets out a sigh. I nudge her lightly with my elbow.

"It is" I say. And I am sure that it is true, there is no way that you can't be proud of her after the way she has acted, the score she received, if anyone out there isn't proud of her, then they must be seriously screwed up.

She gives me a small hug, resting her chin on my shoulder as she does. "Thanks" she whispers, before placing her lips against my cheek for a light kiss. It isn't long before her lips are meeting mine, just as they had in the lake earlier on today. I can taste the peaches on her mouth, the sweet taste breaking past anything else we had eaten all day. Her hand lets go of mine and her arms find their way around my neck.

The kiss is broken apart by the sound of feet running towards us; I can feel my heart thrumming in my chest. Cat's expression is full of panic. She stands quickly and pulls me up with her, her hand clamps around my wrist. "Climb the tree!" she demands.

I don't hesitate; I grab my pack and climb the tree as swiftly as I can. I help Cat up when she is within a reachable distance. We both sit perched in the oak tree, looking down on the tributes that were headed straight towards us.

It isn't long before the five of them stand below us, the four careers are all closely bunched together, and Robbie stands alone, a few inches away from them. Ryder looks up and sees the pair of us sat in the tree looking down at them. As Ryder lays eyes on Cat I can't not smile, he elbows Beck and points upwards. A look of relief and betrayal fills Beck's face. It's obvious he is happy that Cat is safe, but it hurts him to know that Cat is with me.

"How are you?" I ask looking down at them, one of my eyebrows is arched, and I am giving them a crooked smile. It was slightly cocky, but I knew that the audience would love this.

Ryder looks shocked, but still manages to regain his arrogance long enough to reply to my question "Okay, I guess. And you two?" his eyes flick to Cat, and they remain on her face, there is an edge of anger in his eyes when he looks at her.

"I'm fine" says Cat with an absentminded shrug. She places her hand lightly on my wrist. I flick my eyes to her hand before answering Ryder's question.

"I've been better. It's been a bit too warm for my liking" I shrug. I knew this would go down well with the capitol. "But, it's much nicer up here" Cat's hand tightens around my wrist and it's obvious, that he intimidates her.

"I'd like to test that theory" he says cockily.

"Here take these" say's Tara, handing him some knives _my_ knives. I could easily kill every one of them if I had those weapons in my hand.

"No!" he snarls "I'll do better with my sword" he slips his sword into a scabbard and begins climbing the tree. I nudge Cat lightly, silently telling her to move further up the tree. I don't have to do it more than once. She is all but flying up the tree.

The two of us are about six meters higher than we were before by the time Ryder has reached the spot we just sat in. He loses his footing and slips. He falls to the floor with a thud. I laugh lightly at him. All of his arrogance is obviously for nothing. Tara glares at me, and she herself begins to climb the tree. Cat and I begin to move up again, she weighs considerably less than Ryder; this alone will make it easier for her to climb.

It isn't long before the branches begin to snap under her feet, unlike Ryder, she climbs back down to the floor. "Use your knives" Ryder demands Tara.

She hurtles one towards the two of us. It sticks into the bark, near me. I pull it from the tree, and place my finger on the point, pressing down lightly before I begin to twirl it in my fingers. I smile falsely at her. The careers all look up at us. I can see them snarling. Ryder growls profanities and spits at the floor.

"Just leave them" says Robbie harshly "They can't go anywhere" his eyes focus on my face. "We'll get them in the morning"

I screw up my face, he's right. We can't go anywhere not that I would want to; the burn on my hip is hurting immensely. With all the relief from the water gone, and the stinging from the infection finally making its appearance, I'm pretty much trapped.

Cat and I climb down to a fork in the tree and set up camp for the night. Cat clumsily helps me lay out the sleeping bag and harness myself in. The belt feels tight on my burn and the pressure it is putting on my wound is making it hard for me to breath. She harnesses herself to the tree before climbing into the sleeping bag with me.

We lay looking into each other's faces. Her eyes are heavy and she smiles at me sleepily. I smile at her. I find her hand and hold it, though the night air is freezing. I can't be close to her like last night, my hip hurts too much, although, I want nothing more than to be laid closer to her.

The air is still, no winds just cold air. An owl hoots in the distance. Birds finishing singing their songs, the smell of the damp earth still lingers in the air. Cat's eyes flick up above my head, panic fills her face. I follow her gaze.

At first I see nothing, I look back down to her, giving her a questioning look. She sighs and then points upwards. I look up once more and about five meters above us, is a silhouette… I can't make out what it is, an animal maybe. I squint, looking up and then I hear it, a low hum. It's a wasp's nest. But then I realise, this won't be an ordinary wasp's nest; this will belong to Tracker Jackers.

Tracker Jackers are mutations made by the capitol. They are killer wasp's that have been bread in a lab. They are bigger than a normal wasp, and their body is solid gold. If you are stung by one a lump the size of a plum raises on your skin. Most people can stand a few stings, but some people die at once. The people that do live suffer terrible hallucinations. The hallucinations have ben know to drive people mad before.

But it doesn't really matter what type of wasp's nest it is. We are both hurt and trapped. The darkness is my only form of release; I could drop the nest on them. But I would be risking mine and Cat's lives in the process. "What do I do?" I ask in a hushed tone.

"Cut it down" Cat suggests.

"Cat, that's…" I search for the words before she cut's me off

"The best idea we have" she arches an eyebrow at me. I sigh, knowing she's right. During the anthem will be my safest option.

"Well, try to stay out of the way" I say to her, she sits up in the sleep bag. She looks at me questioningly. "I mean it, if you get stung you could die" I explain to her and the expression on her face changes.

The anthem begins to play through the sky, and the branch is dimly light by the projection of the seal, I start to cut away at the branch. I allow myself to look up seeing that there are no deaths today, although the capitol should be thrilled with everything that had happened today.

A fire, injuries, me and Cat being trapped in a tree… And a budding romance? I shake the thought out of my head. And continue to cut through to tree, I am only a quarter of a way through the branch when the anthem finishes and the sky goes black.

I sigh, I could carry on cutting through the branch just by the feeling, but that would be far too risky. No, I will have to come up here at dawn and finish the job then. When I get back down to the sleeping bag, I am greeted with a nice surprise; a tiny silver parachute lies where my head had been.

I sit down and read the tiny piece of paper that is attached to the small parachute, all it reads is

_Jade_

I have a gift, which means… I have a sponsor! It must have been sent during the anthem. I unscrew the lid, and I know by the smell what it is _medicine_ "Thank you, Erwin" I say looking up into the sky. I place my finger into the bottle and I roll up my shirt and slid down my trousers until my hip is visible. I rub a small amount onto a section on my hip, and the reaction is instantaneous, the burning in my hip disappears, I rub more onto the area around it, until my hip is no longer hurting.

I place the bottle on my knee "Give me your hands" I say to Cat.

"Why?" she asks sceptically.

"Just do it" I instruct, she stretches out her arm, so I can grab her hand. I apply some of the medicine onto Cat's burns. Her eyes widen in shock. They look huge. I place the lid back on the bottle on put it in my bag, keeping it as safe as possible.

I can breathe easy for the first time all day, now the pain has gone, I find it much easier to nestle into bed and close my eyes giving into sleep. I wake early in the morning as I intended, the first thing I am greeted with it a quiet singsong from a bird perched not too far away from me.

I screw up my face at the bird and hiss at it, making it fly away. I shake Cat lightly with my hand "Cat" I say in a hushed tone. Her eyes flutter open. She points once again to the nest. "I know" I look up and then back down to Cat's face "Try not to get in the way. Move" I say before making my way back over to the nest. Cat begins to slowly make her way down the tree. She has slipped her arm through her bow. I look down at the career pack. With her position I can see that Tara was supposed to be on guard, but by the looks of things, she too gave into sleep.

I take a deep breath and begin to cut at the branch again. I look down at Cat who is now nearly on the floor. If I die while doing this, I hope she wins. Even though Robbie winning would mean my family would be more secure. The idea is unbearable.

I place the knife in the groove and begin to saw, and then I see it, the fully golden body of a Tracker Jacker, it crawls slowly around the nest. I cut faster, knowing that if I don't cut this nest down soon, every one of them could fly out and attack me.

I saw away at the branch as fast as I can. I feel a shot of pain in my knee, and I know that one of them has found me. I fight through the pain, and continue cutting. Another shot of pain hits my cheek, and then my neck. I push the branch away from me, and watch it as if spirals to the floor.

I am glad that only three of the Tacker Jackers found me. The nest hits the floor and burst open, sending an all-out attack on the careers. Robbie, Beck and Ryder and Andre, all have the good sense to drop everything and run. I can hear one of them shouting "The lake. Get to the lake"

It must be close if they think they can out run them. It was obvious that they thought water would help if that's the first place they were heading. Tara isn't so lucky. Tara seems to be going mad, trying to stab them with her knives

I watch as Tara falls to the floor. She twitches hysterically, her body going rigid with pain, and then she goes still. The nest is now an empty shell laid on the floor. The wasps have gone and I don't think they'll return. I pull out the stingers. The venom is already making me feel woozy. Cat, startles me as she jumps from behind a tree. She helps me make my way to a small pool, just in case any of the wasps may linger.

A foul smell comes from my knee, I look down to see a lump the size of a plum leaking, a green gunge slowly trickles down my leg I can't not look at it; I find it fascinating. In fact in my eyes the whole morning has been fascinating watching the nest burst on the floor, the feeling of the sting of a Tracker Jacker, watching Tara writhing around on the floor. I'd love to see how her body looks, her swallow disfigured fingers wrapped around her knives. The knives!

I make myself stand much to Cat's dismay. _I have to get those knives_ I tell myself _I need them_. Somewhere in my messed up befuddled mind I remember my weapon. I run through the trees until I find Tara lying on the floor. Her body is fully swollen, it's better than I could have imagined. The smell coming from her is horrendous. I try to pry her hands from around the handle of the knife in her hand.

Her fingers are as stiff as a board. I pick up a large rock, and smack it against her hand. I hear her bones crunch. And I smile slightly. I pull the knife from her hand, pick up the other knives from the floor, I place them in my belt, all but one; I leave the one I pried from Tara out, I hold it in my hand.

I am just out of the way of her body when the cannon fires, and the hovercrafts appears, dropping down its metal teeth, lifting her away. I stand still watching it happen.

And then I hear footsteps, several pairs of them, they're coming back. They're coming back for me, or the weapons, or both. I set off running again. Knowing I need to find Cat. I try to get a better hold on the blade of the knife, thought the slime makes it hard to hold onto and the smell is dragging my attention away.

It's too late the first hunter breaks through the bushes. It's Robbie. He is soaking wet, but when the sun hits him, he looks like h is sparkling. "Why are you still here" he hisses "Get out… Go!" I see Ryder emerging from the bushes behind him; he too sparkles from the water. I fumble on my feet for a while, before running back in the direction I came from. _Cat. I need to find Cat_ I tell myself.

I run and meet Cat "We have to get away" I pant "We have to go" I start running I can hear Cat's feet hitting the floor behind me. And then I stop dead in my tracks. The grass turns into a river of blood, the leaves begin to leak down the trees they have turned into the same consistency as the grass.

Thousands of spiders crawl down my arms, and come from my hair. Maggots slither out of my wound; I can feel them slithering round my stomach, cold, and damp.

Huge butterflies, swoop past me before bursting into a million pieces. I fall to the floor, hitting a pit of balloons, all brightly coloured. I pull my knees up to my chest and wait for death. The only coherent thought I have is _Robert Shapiro just saved me_. And then the spiders bore their way into my mouth I can feel them crawling down my throat and along my tongue, some make their way into my eyes. And then I black out.

_**A/N: **__ It took me a while to write this chapter__. __So __I __really hope you like it__. Please continue to read and review, I appreciate all comments and opinions (good or bad) and Thank you once again to everyone who has commented__ so far__, it means a lot to me. _


	10. Chapter 10

**10**

I enter a dream world one from which I wake repeatedly. In the word I keep finding myself, everything is dark; everything is bleak, and blurred. But I can see everything that I dread in the world, everything that evokes all of the strong emotions of pain, and fear within me. Every time I wake I find myself hoping that my dreams are over, but my hopes are soon crushed when more vivid images swim in my mind. How many times do I see my dad walk out on us? How many ways do I watch Taylor die? How many times do I feel the cold stab of other tributes weapons? How many times am I forced to watch Cat turn on me?

This is the cruel nature of the Tracker Jacker stings; the venom targets the part of your brain where fear lives. When I finally wake from my tormented slumber, I lie still on the cold floor. I wait for the next onslaught of images. But I finally accept that the venom has left my body. I am left feeling weak and feeble.

I lay on my side, curled up tightly. I lay in a ditch, which is not filled with brightly coloured balloons as I had believed it to be last night. I look at my hands, there are no signs of spiders and the only thing in my hair is dead leaves from lying on the floor. I take tiny sips from my water, and watch a small beetle crawl along a tree's bark.

My clothes are damp but I can't be sure if rain, sweat or pond water is the cause. I look around me properly for the first time since I was back in the real world. I notice Cat, sat against a tree; she's looking at me and smiling. "Hi" she says relieved.

I smile back the best I can "Hey" my eyes are stinging slightly, and my head feels heavy. My joints feel stiff. My stomach lets out a low growl "I'm hungry, do we have any food left?"

Cat shakes her head "No, we need to do some hunting" she informs me. Cat looks at my cheek and screws up her face "You know, I can help you with your stings" says Cat casually.

"Really? How?" I ask sceptically.

"Come here" Cat instructs I follow her orders. She places a hand full of leaves in her mouth and begins to chew on them. After a few minutes Cat spits the leaves into her hand and rubs the mushy substance on my neck.

"Ohhh" the sound slips past my lips, these leaves work as well as my medicine does. I roll up my trouser leg so she can tend to my knee, and finally my cheek. "How do you know all this stuff?" I ask looking at her

"My mum's a doctor, so I've been around things like this all my life" she says nonchalantly.

I stand slowly, my limbs ache and so does my hip, I use some more of the medicine before handing it to Cat. My stings are no longer hurting thanks to Cat. The sun starts stinging my eyes; I pull my sunglasses out of the bag and place them on my face, I hear Cat chuckle beside me "What?" I ask feeling slightly irritated at the fact she's laughing at me

"Why are you wearing those?" she asks eyeing me with bemused expression on her face.

"Because it's sunny… Not that these help. In fact they make things worse!" I can feel my temper starting to flare.

"You don't wear them during the day" she says "You wear them at night… They help you see in the total darkness" she informs me.

"Oh!" I say. I tug the glasses off of my face and stuff them back in my pack.

Cat and I walk for a few miles we walk through a concealed area, I hear a small rustle coming from a bush beside me. A small rabbit jumps out and hops into our line of sight. Cat draws back on of her arrows, and shoots it perfectly straight into the rabbit's eye.

Cat walks over to her kill gingerly; she slowly picks it up from the floor and tugs the arrow out with her hand. She walks back and hands it to me "It needs skinning" she says "And now you have some knives, you can do it" she smiles.

_The knives _I think. I had forgotten about them. I look down and attached to my bet are six knives. I hold the rabbit by its ears as we walk. Cat and I walk a few miles more before we decide to stop for the day. We sit under a tall willow tree; we are well concealed by its dropping branches.

I skin and debone the rabbit near a lake just in front of Cat, while she feeds the fire. I wash the knife I used to skin the rabbit before putting it back in my belt. I walk over to Cat holding the meat. "Here one freshly skinned and deboned rabbit" I smile holding the rabbit out towards her.

She fashions a spit out of twigs and dowses the fire. We cook the meat over the hot ashes checking it every so often to see if it is fully cooked. Traces of blood from the rabbit still lay on my hands. I walk back over to the lake to rinse them.

Cat turns over the meat making sure every inch of it reaches the warmth of the ashes. I cut into a section of the meat to see if it's cooked all the way through. We split the meat between us, in case we get separated, neither one of us mentions this, but we know it is nearing, after all there are only ten of us left. We put the majority of the meat away for another day, eating only what we need to.

After we have eaten Cat and I make our way down to the lake, our hands are thick of grease from the rabbit, plus we are both covered head to toe in dirt. I rinse my hands and face, while besides me Cat strips down to her underwear. My eyes wonder around her body, I soak in everything about her.

I don't really understand how she feels completely comfortable stripping down to her underwear when she knows that the entire country of Panem is watching her.

I notice that around Cat's neck is a thin silver chain, at the end of the chain is a small flower, the pendant, is covered in diamonds. I quickly turn my head away from her; I look down into my lap. Out of the corner of my eye I notice her walking into the water, giving her full body a bathe. "Is that your token from home?" I ask, flicking my eyes to her necklace for a second, before my eyes fall back into my lap.

"Yeah it is" she says smiling. She holds the pendant in between her index finger and thumb, she slowly twiddles it, the sun catches the diamonds and reflects them back onto her, and once again her skin looks like it is covered in jewels. "Beck gave it to me on the train before we got to the training centre" she admits. She drops the pendant it lands lightly on her chest.

"Oh" a strong feeling of jealousy fills my body, making my stomach feel heavy. "Is he your boyfriend?" I can't stop myself from asking, especially with the way things have been going between me and Cat.

"No" she says casually "We're just friends" I remain looking down into my knees. "You can look at me you know" she chuckles "Especially when you're talking to me" I turn my head to look at her, I'm glad to see that her head sits just atop the water, and that the rest of her body is submerged by the cool clear water. "Do you have a token from your District?" she asks her voice soft and calm.

I nod "Yeah this pin" I say pointing to the gold pin that Harley had given me the morning of the games.

"It's nice" she smiles "Who gave you it?"

"My mum" I lied. "It's something that's been in the family for generations"

"I like it, it's a mockingjay" she smiles. I hadn't taken much notice of the pin when I had first looked at it, but looking down, I can clearly see what type bird it is.

Mockingjay's are a big slap in the face to the capitol-they are also one of my favourite birds- during the rebellion that started the whole idea of the hunger games, the capitol bred lots of animal's to be used as weapons- like the tracker jackers. One of these was a bird called the jabberjay. They had the ability to mimic human conversations. They were homing birds, and they were only males. The capitol released them into areas where they knew their enemies would be hiding.

They would gather words and fly back to the capitol to be recorded. It took people in the districts a while to realise what was happening. But once people began to get wise to the capitol, they would feed the jabberjays lies. And then the joke was on the capitol. So they left all the jabberjays to die off in the wild.

But they didn't die off. Instead the jabberjays mated with female mockingbirds, thus creating the mockingjay. Mockingjays can imitate both bird's whistles and human conversations. They can also copy songs, not just a few notes but full songs, if you spent time singing to them, and if they liked your voice that was, me and my dad used to sing to them before he left, and then it became something I did by myself. Something I sometimes still do, when I want to get away from things. The only other person who has ever heard me singing to them is Robbie.

I remember when my dad used to sing, they would stop all the birds would just fall silent, and then after a small polite pause the mockingjays would sing back. His voice was so soft, and had such a nice tone when he sang; I have often been told that's where my talent came from, another reason why I always went with my dad. And one day I wanted to hear them sing back to me. So I sang to them once, and the feeling I got when they sang back to me, was one of the best feelings I have ever experienced.

I can imagine the mockingjays flying through the trees. I can feel myself smiling as I think about the small birds that have caused so much controversy within the country of Panem.

"You have mockingjays in District 1?" I ask in slight disbelief.

She nods "Yeah, I sing to them from time to time, just to see if they'll sing back" she admits, her voice full of happiness. She climbs out of the water and gets back into her clothes; she covers her necklace with her top. She comes and sits down next to me, leaving her jacket laid beside her.

"And do they sing back to you?" I ask, I could think of nothing worse than you singing to the birds and not hearing anything back.

She nods with a smile on her face. "Have you ever sung to them?" She asks

"Yeah" I admit with a small shrug.

"And, do they sing back?" she asks.

"Every time" I say, Cat smiles at me, her small dimple surfaces deep within her cheek. The sky begins to go dark, and the air turns icy cold, I feel my limbs begin to ache as the cold wind whips around my body. Cat and I pick a fork high up in the willow tree.

Cat and I lay close together tonight, the warmth within this sleeping bag is verging on uncomfortable, but I don't want to move away from her I can't. "Cat, you know how I only woke up today?" I ask, she nods her head slowly "Well how long was I out for?" I ask.

"A few days" says Cat with a shrug.

"A few days?" I ask stunned, I thought that at the most it would be one day, Cat nods with a confused expression on her face. "Well who's died then?" I mumble I can feel my heart racing in my chest.

"Only two people died" she says in a hushed tone "Tara and then the girl from 9" she sighs, her eyes grow heavy, and I can see tears starting to form in the corner of her deep brown eyes when she says 'the girl from 9' and her voice cracks slightly.

"Cat, what's wrong?" I ask my stomach feels heavy. I find Cat's hand and hold on to it tight. She shakes her head slightly, and looks down, keeping her eyes away from mine. I take a deep breath "Did you kill you her?" I ask I feel a lump form in my throat. She nods. A small tear trickles down the side of her face. "Cat don't cry" I say "Everyone, does it, you said so yourself" it shocked me that I could still remember the convocation we had that night on the roof. Little things like that never really meant anything to me.

She nods "I know but, I can't say that I don't regret it, Jade, because I do" her voice is quiet. I didn't think that killing someone in this arena would take this effect on someone.

"Don't worry about it" I say, trying to calm her down. "If you hadn't killed her she would have killed you, Cat" My tone is still quiet and calm as I try to make her see the truth in it all. "That's why I dropped the tracker jacker nest on Ryder and the others, it was them or us"

She nods again, and purses her lips, more tears fall down her face. I let go of her hand, I wipe her tears away with my fingers before I wrap my arms around her holding her close to me I press my forehead against hers. I can feel her warm breath on my face. She wraps her arms around my neck slowly.

"Have you seen anything of Beck and the others?" I ask, seen as though I have just mentioned them, I might as well.

She nods "Yeah, I've been spying on them" she takes a deep breath "Robbie's not with them anymore he left"

My hearth thuds when I hear his name, I keep remembering the things I saw when I was under the influence of the tracker jacker venom. "Oh" I say "I think he might have saved me, the other night, after the tracker jacker attack, but it wouldn't make sense he was working with them" I say.

"Well he's not now" she says "So maybe he did save you, and then he ran" she says, moving her head away from mine so she can look me in the eyes. She sighs "He cares about you, Jade" she explains "You can see that on his face when he looks at you"

"Let's try these glasses" I say changing the subject, I didn't do well in conversations like this I always end up sounding either mean or stupid so for me it was best to avoid them. I place them on my eyes. Cat wasn't lying about what she said, I could see everything. "I wonder who else has a pair of these" I say.

"Beck, Ryder and Andre have a pair each" she says with a shrug. "They have a lot by the lake" she explains "But they are so strong" she shakes her head slightly.

"Yeah, well so are we" I say confidently. "We can both use weapons, and hunt, just as well as they can"

"Yeah but they don't need to hunt" she starts "They have a whole supply of food down by the lake, like I said they have a lot down there"

"But what if they didn't?" I ask. "What if all of their supplies where gone" a plan comes to my mind, and it's a devious plan, and it will most definitely be effective.

Cat smiles slyly, her eyes wide with excitement. "What do you have in mind?" she asks.

"Cat, where going to destroy their supplies, we are going to make them part of The Hunger Games" I explain with a small shrug. Cat smiles and the places her forehead to mine once again.

"But they know how to hunt" she argues.

"Yes, but if they have no supplies, then they will have to move from their cosy hideaway, and look for food just like everyone else" I explain. I can see Cat's face clearly, through the glasses. She purses her lips. She looks slightly embarrassed that she didn't fully understand the concept of my idea right away, she looks cute… _Cute?_ I think, since when have I ever viewed anything as cute?

I shake the thought from my head, and pull Cat a tiny bit closer to me, I remove the glasses and close my eyes "Night Cat" I say sleepily.

"Night" she replies, with a big yawn. I take a steady breath, and let sleep take a hold of me.

I am woken in the morning by the sound of a cannon firing. Cat is perched on a tree branch not too far away from me, we both listen for more shots but we hear nothing other than the sound of birds chirping above us.

The sky is a slightly pink shade from the sun rising into the sky, "Who do you think that was?" I ask, I can't help but think of Robbie.

"I don't know" shrugs Cat "I guess we'll find out tonight"

"Who's left?" I ask

"Beck, Ryder, Andre" she starts, she is thinking so hard about this, she closes her eyes and counts the people off on her fingers. "Robbie, the boy from 5, the boy from 9, the girl from 10, the boy from 11 and then me and you. Ten" she says with a shrug. A proud smile creeps onto her face.

"I wonder how they died" I say, my voice sounding more interested than I cared for.

"I don't know" says Cat "But that death will hold out the audience, which is good" says Cat "I guess"

I study her for a while, just watching her perched on the branch, she never sways or falters, she just sits, steady as a rock, on the tree's branch. "So you ready to do it then?" I ask.

"Do what?" asks Cat, but the way she is readying herself to jump down from the branch tells me she doesn't care what it is we are going to be doing, she's ready to do anything I say.

"Destroy their supplies" I say.

"Okay, how?" she asks.

"I don't know" I admit "I'll think of something" I say.

As Cat and I walk, we forage for berries, plants and we even try to do some more hunting, but we have no joy on finding animals. We split the plants and fruit we have found, just as we did the meat last night.

As we are walking, I get to know a lot more about Cat, like how she is the younger of two children, and that her older brother- who is called Tony- isn't right in the head. And then she tells me more about her passion in life, performing, be it acting, dancing, or singing, Cat just loves it all. I can see why with that one, I too enjoy singing, and dancing, and everything else, but unfortunately, coming from District 12 we don't have much to sing and dance about.

Cat comes up with simple four note tune to sing to the mockingjays, her voice is amazing, I can see why the birds would sing back, when she sings, the birds fall silent, just as they did with my dad. "It might not work" she says "But if either one of us hears it it means the other is okay and that we just can't get back right away"

I nod in agreement "Are there a lot of mockingjays around?" I ask, making sure that this plan will actually work.

Cat nods "Yeah, you haven't noticed?" she asks

"To be completely honest, Cat I have been more occupied with not dying" I say.

"Fine, so if everything works out alright, I'll see you for dinner" she says. Unexpectedly, she throws her arms around my neck, and kisses me lightly on the lips. She then hugs me for a while; I don't hesitate in wrapping my arms around her. "Be careful" she whispers in my ear.

"I will, you too" I say. Before I pull away from the hug and head off in the opposite direction that Cat has taken. I walk away thinking about what has happened between me and Cat so far, and how the residents of the capitol will be feeling about the two of us. It's obvious that for the time being this is more than an alliance. And that in its self will seem exciting to the audience, the will be sat watching in anticipation of the unravelling of mine and Cat's relationship. I then think about how they anticipate, what I dread.

_**A/N: **__Just a bog standard chapter really. N__o real __confliction, oh well I hope you like it anyway, please continue to read and review I love knowing what you guys think, and once again I really do appreciate all the reviews and opinions I get (good or bad) and a big thanks once again to everyone who has already reviewed _


	11. Chapter 11

**11**

I head off in the direction of the stream feeling a little worried. About Cat being killed, about Cat not being killed and us two being left at the end, about leaving Cat alone, leaving Taylor alone. No, Taylor wouldn't be alone, he has my mother. But at this moment in time Cat has only me, and I have only her. Once I reach the stream I have only to follow it downhill until I reach the place I picked it up after the tracker jacker attack.

I have to take a great amount of care as I walk through the water; this is because I find my mind fogged with unanswered questions about Cat and to my surprise Robbie. Had the cannon that fired this morning signified his death? If so how did he die, at the hand of a career, because he saved me, was that their sick form of revenge?

I struggle to remember that moment over Tara's body. When he emerged from the bushes, just that fact that he was sparkling makes me question the situation. I find a lake to freshen my water; I allow myself a minutes rest. And then I am moving again.

My senses heighten as I get closer to the careers camp. The closer I get to them, the more guarded I am. I find myself stopping to listen for any unusual sounds. I have one of my knives ready in my hand. Although I can see no other tributes I am risking nothing. I do however notice a lot of other things, a bush full of the leaves that Cat used on my stings, many tracker jacker nests, and above all, the black and white flashes of mockingjays sitting high in the trees.

When I reach the tree with the empty shell of a nest at the foot of it, I take a deep breath and gather up all of my courage. _I'm the hunter_ I tell myself _you can do this_. I get a better hold on my knife and start to walk again, heading in the direction I remember the careers going. I walk until I find a place full of thick foliage; I can see the careers through tiny gaps in bushes.

The only thing that lies between us is the flat patch of land where the games began. There are five tributes, the three boys I knew where here and someone else. Another male, he had an olive skin tone and dark shaggy hair, he was short and thin, I vaguely remember his face, from when we were in the training centre this boy was from District 5. Andre and the others tower above this boy, he must be of some value, because they could quite easily pick him of, if a gust of wind was strong enough it could knock him over.

They have a strange setup, all of their supplies are pilled neatly in a pyramid protected by a net, they have some smaller less useful supplies scattered around its perimeter. It is strangely similar to the way things where set up in the cornucopia at the beginning of the games, the cornucopia, sits alone and it has been picked clean by the tributes.

I know now that destroying their supplies is going to be harder than I thought. I can tell that by looking at it that it isn't what it seemed to be, nothing ever is. I think of all of the way's they could have rigged this, poisoned weapons hanging from trees ready to fall down at you if you step on a trigger. Deep pits for you to fall into, really the possibilities were endless; I'm not going to take anything for granted.

While I am thinking about ways that this setup could be rigged, I hear Ryder shout and then point into the trees and I look in the same direction and see smoke teaming through the leaves. The careers begin to arm themselves at once.

Yet again I hear the careers arguing, this time it's over the boy from 5 "He should stay here!" snarls Ryder "He should make sure that no one tries anything"

"Look, he did his job, no one can touch anything, let him come with us!" argues Andre.

"What about you?" snarls Ryder in the direction of Beck "What do you think we should do?"

Beck sighs and runs a hand through his dark hair "I say let him come with us" he says, his voice soft.

"Fine!" grunts Ryder, he shoves a spear into the hands of the boy from 5, Beck looks at him confused.

"What are you doing?" asks Beck shocked "That's my weapon" he says.

"I don't care. If we saw her you wouldn't use it anyway, and I am guessing that smoke is her, she's stupid enough to make a fire in here" says Ryder. I know that the 'her' they are speaking of is, Cat. I find myself feeling agitated at the way Ryder is talking about her. Beck's jaw tenses "What's the matter Romeo, hit a nerve have I?" he snarls his face is just inches away from Beck's

Beck turns his head away from Ryder. "Come on, let's just got before they get away" urges Andre.

They all turn and walk in to the direction of the smoke, "If we find them, I'm going to be killing them and no one interferes" says Ryder, and once again I know that he is speaking about me and Cat, a sick sound of satisfaction fills his voice when he speaks about killing us.

I stay hidden in the bushes for a while, thinking about what to do. The on advantage I do have with my knives is distance. I could throw one of my knives straight at it, but there was no saying the effect it would have, it could do nothing, and then what? I would have given everything away, they would know that I was here and they would know that Cat and I had tried to sabotage them.

There is no choice I am going to have to get closer to their supplies and figure out what is protecting it. I am just about to step out of the bushes, when I see something move in my peripheral vision. A few hundred meters to my left I see someone emerge from the bushes. For a second I think its Robbie, but then I get a proper look at their face. It's the plump girl from District 10; I hadn't really seen her other than on the recap of the reaping. She hadn't made a strong impact in anyway, not at her interview not with her score not with anything, even now when she was just meters away from me; nothing about the girl was intimidating.

The girl sets off at a run towards the pyramid. Once she reaches the supplies that are scattered around on the floor she stops, and searches the floor she points to spots on the ground with her fingers, like she is calculating something. She then begins to approach the pyramid with strange little hops. Sometimes she lands on one foot other times she lands on both feet, at one point; she launches herself into the air over a crate. She over shoots her landing the momentum carrying her. I hear her let out a sharp gasp as she hurtles to the floor. Nothing happens.

Within seconds of her falling she has regained her feet and reached the supplies, so I was right about one thing, the supplies are booby trapped and it is so much more complex than I first thought. I was stunned by this girl, how had she come to find this place, and how had she so expertly avoided the trap.

The girl fills her pack with their supplies taking a hand full of each thing; she never takes more than a hand full she knows that would tip the careers off that someone knew about their stash. I notice her take a hand full of apples from a sack that is suspended above the rest of the food.

Once she is satisfied with her amount of food she does her strange little dance and then heads back off into the bushes. I notice I am biting down on my lip when the taste of blood trickles down my tongue. This girl has just confirmed my idea about their supplies being rigged. But why would you possibly need to be that strategic? And why did she gasp when she made contact with the earth?

And then slowly, I begin to realise the reality of their camp. The ground around the pyramid is mined. That explains everything, the confidence that Beck and Andre had in leaving their supplies, the girls reaction. But how did they get the mines. The game makers wouldn't supply these types of things; they prefer to see fights and to watch us draw blood personally.

I climb out of the bushes. I walk to one of the metal plates that lifted us into the arena. I can clearly see where the ground has been dug up and then patted back down again. The mines are neutralised after the sixty seconds you are required to stand on your metal plate. But somehow the careers managed to find a way to reactivate them.

I have never seen anyone do that before, I bet that even the game makers are shocked. Well kudos to the careers for putting one over on them. But now what could I do? I can't go into there without killing myself, the mines are set off by pressure, and it doesn't have to be much. I remember one girl once dropped her token on her plate, it was only a small coin but they literally had to scrape bits of her off the plate.

My arms pretty good, I could through one of my knives at the ground but, I can't be sure where the mines are. I could through all six of my knives and miss, and then go to collect them and stand on a mine. No I had to think about this.

I glance back up to the woods and more smoke is teaming up from the trees. As I have heard no cannons, the careers have obviously had no luck in finding who started the fires, they could be back here any second, my time is running out.

There is a way around this, I know there is. _Think, Jade, think_ I tell myself I study the pyramid, the bins and the crates are far too heavy to be pushed over with a knife. I am seriously starting to debate recreating the plump girls steps, if she can do it why can't I?

And then my eyes flick to the bag of apples, a piece of rope hangs them into a tree, surely I can severe the rope with a knife. It's a long shot though the bag may be big but there is no saying it would land on a mine, only if I could release the apples themselves.

And then it hits me like a ton of bricks. I might be able to rip the bag with one knife, and then the job would be done. I take a deep breath to compose myself. I hurtle and arrow towards the bag, I get a great spin on it; hopefully the knife will rip straight through the bag. The first knife creates a huge tear in the bag; I can see the first apple teetering on the edge. I through another arrow knowing it will take no more than two to get the job done.

For a moment, everything seems to be going in slow motion, and then the apples hit the floor, blowing me backwards with the explosion. I land on the hard ground on my back; all of the air is knocked out of me. I push myself off the ground. Thick smoke fills the air around me.

I watch in satisfaction at the pile of burning supplies. It was unlikely that they could salvage anything from that._ Get a move on_ I tell myself, I know that they will be headed straight for this place. Once I stand, I know that escaping isn't going to be easy, once again the smoke has left me feeling dizzy and nauseous. But I have to move, I am live on every screen in Panem, and after what I have just done, I need to get out of the way. I head back to the bushes, finding it hard to breathe, but I can't be in line of sight when the careers comeback and I refuse to miss seeing their reaction.

Once I am in the bushes I am sure to be deadly silent, I know that if they find me I'll face death, and I know that it will be at the hand of Ryder and it is sure to be a slow and painful death. The thought of Taylor having to watch that makes me more determined than anything else. Another blast startles me, a stray mine blows, this happens once or twice more. And I am reminded of making popcorn back home with Taylor.

I watch as Ryder sprints into my view, he is soon followed by his companions. All of them sand panting and looking flushed. Ryder's rage is hilarious; he walks around screaming, tugging on his hair and punching the ground and trees. Even though I know this is aimed at me, I can't stop myself from smiling.

Beck throws a rock into the wreckage and declares that all the mines have been blown up. The careers walk to the waste Ryder gets there first, he begins to kick open crates while the others poke around at things to see if anything can be saved. "It's no use" Say's Beck shaking his head "Everything's gone"

It is obvious that the thought accord to Ryder because Beck only just has time to stand before Ryder is punching him to the floor. Ryder pins Beck to the ground and beats him furiously. Andre and Jareth pull Ryder off of Beck. "This is your fault" he shouts "If you had of said that Jareth was to stay here this wouldn't happened" I am guessing that Jareth is the boy from 5.

Beck wipes the blood away from his face, but as soon as he has more blood begins to flow from the side of his eye, his nose and his mouth. "What do you want me to do about it?" He asks "Whoever set this off will be dead" says Beck sounding mildly confident.

Andre who seems to be trying to calm Ryder down looks towards Beck and then back to Ryder "He's right, let's just forget about it" his voice is soft and calm.

"Yeah well, we'll see tonight won't we?" growls Ryder he flicks his eyes up to the sky they all walk away to the side of the lake, Beck washes his face and Ryder sit's with his back facing him. I can see him clenching his fists every so often. I can see that he is trembling with rage.

The sun begins to dip in the horizon, and before long it is night fall. The seal of Panem flashes in the night sky, the anthem booms out around the arena, and only one face appears in the sky it's the boy from 9, they know that whoever blew up their supplies, is still alive. Beck, Andre, and Ryder put on their glasses; Jareth holds onto a torch, they head off back into the foliage to hunt. I feel less nauseous. But I decide to spend the night where I am.

I pull out my own glasses, and drink my water, I make a meal of the meat from yesterday along with the plants and berries that Cat and I gathered this morning. Where is my tiny friend? Is she in the rendezvous point safe and sound? Is she worried about me? At least the sky has shown that we are both okay.

I go through the surviving tributes on my fingers. There's Beck, Ryder, Andre, Robbie, Jareth, the girl from 10, the boy from 11 and Cat and I. just nine of us. The stakes are high, and the betting in the capitol will be heating up.

They'll even be doing special sectors on each of us now, they'll probably be interviewing our family and friends it has been a while since a tribute from 12 made it this far and now there's two of us. I have no idea how Robbie is though, I know that I am fine, for all I know Robbie could be laying in a ditch starving to death.

The air is turning cold, I unfold my sleeping bag, and climb inside it, I can smell Cat on the fabric, and I begin to yearn to have her here, I wonder how she is coping without the sleeping bag in this weather, but then again, before she found me, she didn't have anything other than the clothes on her back to keep her warm. I drift off to sleep thinking of Cat.

I wake in the morning and the world seems hazy, the sun must be well up in the sky, I take my glasses off and place them in my pack. I hear the sound of laughter. A lump rises in my throat; I look through the gaps in the bush and see the girl from 10 stood in the rubble laughing. She is wiser than the careers because she has found things of use. Like a metal pot, my two knives that I threw. I am confused by her amusement, but then with the careers having to hunt just like everyone else, the games have well and truly begun, and everyone who is left, stands and even chance of winning.

I am contemplating asking her to join me and Cat as a third ally, but then again, the way she is stood holding the knives and smiling down at the blades, that makes me sure that befriending her would leave me with one of my own knives in my back. I could, just kill her now, it would only take one knife, and then I could go and collect the others and run back.

But she has heard something, something that isn't me, her head turns away, and then she sprints out of sight. I wait, nothing and no one shows up, but if this girl thought that it was dangerous. Maybe it's time for me to move; besides I am far too eager to see Cat. Since I have no idea where the careers went the route back by the stream seems the best option.

I hurry with one of my knives in my hand and my last chunk of cold meat in the other. The trip to the stream is uneventful, I wish that Cat had been with me, I miss our conversations and even though I have only known her properly for a small number of days I miss her just being near me.

Once I am by the lake I refill my water and take a wash, I strip down to my underwear the way Cat had yesterday, I give my full body a wash. And then I travel uphill. I use the stream as a guide. I see footprints, someone else has been here, but not for a long time, the foot prints are deep after being made in wet mud but now the sun has dried the mud out. I walk along the stream and kill two fishes, easily, this will make a good meal for Cat and I.

I get back to the meeting place and I see no sign of Cat, nothing in the trees or the ground, this is odd. Its midday and she should be here. I know that last night she will have slept on the ground in the bushes somewhere. She's probably just cautious about making her way back, but I wish she would hurry up. I don't want to wait around here for too long. While I wait I use more of my medicine on my burn, although the wound is much better it still sings and itches slightly.

I begin to worry about the fish, it won't last long in this heat, but I refuse to eat it without Cat. I just wish she would show up.

Feeling vulnerable on the ground I climb I high tree so I can see signs of other tributes. This will be a fine place to kill anyone; it will keep me well out of the way. Out of boredom I chew on the skin on my fingers, I pull off to much skin on the index finger on my left hand, and slowly a small drop of blood seeps to the surface. I suck on it and the metallic taste of blood oozes into my mouth.

I begin to worry more and more about Cat, I have to remind myself that she is still alive, but somewhere deep in my subconscious I have my doubts, is it possible that the cannon fired in the early hours of the morning, and I was too tried to wake from my slumber? Will she appear in the sky tonight?

I shaky my head as I feel tears burning the back of my eyes. No, I refuse to believe that she is dead. There could be numerous explanations, she could be hunting, or lost, or she could be hiding. Whatever the reason, I would rather he be stuck out there alive, than have her be dead.

I decide to go look for her; I climb down from my tree and set off walking. I have to do something I can't sit around all day and wait for her. I don't walk far before I hear the four note tune sung by Cat, I stop dead in my tracks, and smile at the sound of her voice. And then I hear the mockingjays singing it back. I head in the direction of the birds. Their tweets muffled in the distance between us.

I sing back as I walk to let her know I'm okay, and for the first time, I hear the birds stop at the sound of my voice, before the mockingjays sing back, the smile is soon knocked off my face as I hear a familiar voice scream. It's not Cat's, it's a boy. It's Robbie.

I can't stop myself from running in the direction of his voice, no matter what has happened, I still have the image of him saving my life after the tracker jacker attack. I know that this may be a decoy and that at any moment the careers could jump out and attack me but I keep running.

There's more shouting but this time it's my name "Jade! Jade!"

"Rob!" he knows I'm near which means _they_ know I'm near. And hopefully, my score and the fact that I dropped the tracker jackers on them will be enough to pull them away from Robbie and come after me. "Rob! I'm coming!"

When I break into the clearing I see him on the ground. He is helpless, tangled up in a net, he just has time to say my name and reach out for me when the spear enters his body.

_**A/N: **__I don't know what to say about this chapter really other than I hope you like it. Thank you to everyone who is reading this story, and thanks to the people who have already reviewed. Please read and review__ it means so much to me I appreciate all comments and opinions (good or bad) _


	12. Chapter 12

**12**

The boy from District 5 dies before he even has chance to remove the spear from Robbie's stomach. My knife goes deep within his throat; he halves his life by removing the blade, making the blood flow furiously down his body he drowns in his own blood.

I look around panic stricken while asking Robbie "Are there more of them?" He has to say no a few times before his voice can be heard. Robbie has rolled onto his side, his body curls around the spear which is lodge deep inside his body. I shove Jareth's body away from him and use one of my other knives to cut Robbie free from the net.

It takes one look at the wound to realise its severity, there's no point in trying to comfort him, he knows the truth in the matter he's no fool. He reaches out his hand and I take it, our fingers become entwined. His skin is already starting to turn cold in my grasp. "You have to win, Jade" he chokes.

Tears begin to fall uncontrollably from my eyes, and for the first time in this competition, the people of Panem will see me as a vulnerable child something I didn't ever want anyone to see. I nod "I'll try to, Robbie. For both of us" I say. It didn't matter that Robbie had taken the side of the careers in the beginning of the games; he was still my best friend.

I hear a cannon, I look up. I know it's for Jareth. Robbie's grip on my hand tightens "Jade, don't leave me"

"I won't I'm staying right here. I promise" I lean forward pulling his head on to my lap. His skin is cold, but beads of sweat are surfacing on his face.

"Sing" he says, but his voice is so quiet I barely catch it. _Sing?_ I think. _Sing what?_ I know of so many song's that Robbie likes, my head starts to swim with lyrics and melodies. My voice is hoarse from crying, but if this is Robbie's last request, then I will comply. I give a small cough to clear my throat and then I begin.

_There's no one in town I know__  
__You gave us some place to go.__  
__I never said thank you for that.__  
__I thought I migh__t get one more chance.__  
_

_What would you think of me now? __  
__So lucky, so strong, so proud?__  
__I never said thank you for that.__  
__Now I'll never have a chance._

Robbie's eyes have fluttered shut, his chest moves slightly with his slow breathing. My throat tightens but I have to keep singing for him.

_May angels lead you in.__  
__Hear you me my friends.__  
__On sleepless roads the sleepless go.__  
__May angels lead you in._

_And if you were with me tonight,__  
__I'd sing to you just one more time.__  
__A song for a heart so big,__  
__god wouldn't le__t it live.__  
_

_May angels lead you in.__  
__Hear you me my friends.__  
__On sleepless roads the sleepless go.__  
__May angels lead you in.__  
__May angels lead you in.__  
_

The air is still and quiet, and then the mockingjays pick up my song, it's an eerie sound that carries out through the arena. Robbie's cannon fires, I look down at him, his face is pale all the colour has been drained from him. I watch as my tears fall onto his face. They'll want me to clear out now, so they can collect the bodies, but I can't find it in myself to leave him.

But I do yank my knife from the throat of Jareth, some of his blood transfers onto my hands, and I feel some spurt onto my face as the blade slips from his throat.

I also retrieve his pack along with Robbie's; I know that he would want me to have it. I leave the spear in his body, any weapons left with a dead tribute will be taken out of the games, the sooner that spear has gone, the better. My eyes flick back down to Robbie, he looks so young laid here, so childlike.

I know he is past harm but he looks totally defenceless. And to hate the boy from 5, who also seems so defenceless and a lot smaller than before, well that would be pointless. The real people to hate are the residents of capitol for making us do this in the first place. It's Robbie's death that has made me realise the full cruelty of these games. But how can I take revenge on the capitol?

And then I remember Cat's word on the roof_. They don't care about us, and they never will._

And then I think of something that I can do right here and now, Cat's right, the capitol don't care, but the Districts and the tributes do. And I am going to show them that, we are people with feelings, all of us are, and that they are destroying the lives of children, Jareth's, Robbie's, mine, Cat's, all of the tributes.

I take a few steps into the woods and I find plants flowers of blues and greens. I walk back with my hands full, I lay them around Robbie as a sign of respect, like you would at a funeral. I cover his wound. I know they will have to show this, and even if they don't show it now. They will have to bring the cameras back when they collect the bodies, and then they will see it and know I did it.

I take one last look at Robbie, I feel proud at what I have done. This could be my last chance to say goodbye to him, he deserves something like this.

"Bye Rob" I whisper, I bend down and kiss his forehead. I stand and turn to the cameras I raise my left hand and place my three middle fingers to my lips and hold them out into his direction, in District 12 it means, thanks, it means admiration, it means goodbye to someone you love.

I walk away without looking back. I wipe the blood from my face with the back of my hand, it smudges across my mouth. I rub my hands on my trouser legs getting rid of all evidence of Jareth's blood.

The birds fall silent and then a mockingjay gives the warning whistle. I look straight ahead, it doesn't take long for the birds to pick up their usual songs, and then I know that he's gone. Another mockingjay, a young one blast out Cat's four note tune, and I know she's still okay. I pass under a branch slowly, and carry on in the direction I was headed before I found Robbie. I need to find Cat, I need to see her,I need to have her here, and I need that familiar sense of home that I only get when I'm with her.

I'm not scared as I walk; I'm not even looking out for any sign of movement, at this moment in time I would have no problem killing someone. My hatred for the capitol hasn't made me hate my competitors less. Especially the careers, I am actually finding myself anticipating running into them. They can pay for Robbie's death one by one.

There aren't many of us left in this arena now. Only seven of us, which means soon the game makers, will be finding ways to get us to come face to face. But with all the gore of today, they will be satisfied; they may even let us get some rest.

I am not walking much longer before I find Cat; I see a flash of her red hair high up in a tree then I notice her back is facing me. I sing out the four note tune she had made up. She hears its proximity and turns her head to face me. She scuttles down and meets me on the floor; she swings her arms around me. I can smell the leaves on her; she rests her head on my shoulder for a short amount of time.

"I thought you were dead" she admits, her tone soft and quiet, her lips are inches away from my ear. I shake my head, and a whimper slips through my lips. She pulls away "What's wrong?" she asks, panic fills her eyes. "Who did the cannons fire for?" she ask, the same sense of panic fills her voice.

"Robbie" I say, sobs slip past my lips as I say his name.

"And?" she asks.

"The boy from 5" I inform her, she pulls me into another hug, her arms wrapped tightly around me, I weave my arms around her waist pulling her closer towards me. Her body is warm, and now she is in my arms again, I don't want to let her go, I can't lose someone else I care about.

The sun is setting lower in the sky, Cat and I lay down under a tree, Cat is laid on her back looking up at the leaves. I am laid on my back, but my head is facing towards her. She sniffs up, and screws up her nose "What's that smell?" she asks

I sniff up and look around us "I don't know" I admit. I lift up my pack, and the smell is emitting strongly from it. I open it up and the smell spews out into the air. The smell takes my breath away, and I can hear Cat gagging slightly. I remove the fish from my pack; it had started to fester in the heat. She looks down at it and laughs.

"Can I ask why you're carrying around mouldy fish?" she asks, in a joking manner.

"I guess it wasn't a well thought out plan, I caught this fish this morning and never ate it… What a waste" I say, slinging the two fish to one side. I watch as they skim through the air and then flop to the ground with a splat.

"At least you tried" she says with a small shrug, I glance at her and then look down. I hadn't eaten all day because I was waiting for her to show up and then when she does, the food is no good. "What's in the other packs?" she asks, looking down at my newly found supplies.

"I'm not sure, I haven't checked" I admit, looking around. I open Robbie's pack first, my fingers trembling as I unzip it. It holds a nearly empty water skin, another pair of the glasses- which I gladly hand over to Cat- some nut's and fruit, a sling shot and some meat-at least we won't be going hungry. Jareth's pack has a few knives, two spear heads, a flash light a full bottle of water and some dried fruit. Some dried fruit. Out of all the things he could have got he goes for this.

To me that was the height of arrogance, but why bother carrying food when you have the full cornucopia back home? I just hope that the others are this ill equipped, and that they must now hunt.

The calm night air is disturbed by another cannon firing in the distance. The bird lets out its single note and then stops. Another body has been removed from the arena.

Cat and I finish the meat from Robbie's pack, we eat some of the dried fruit but save the nuts from Robbie's pack for tomorrow, we both know that no matter what tomorrow brings, we have to hunt. The sky is now dark and the air is cold, I can see my breath in front of me as Cat and I are talking. She sits with her knees pulled up to her chest with her jacket pulled down over her legs.

I look up into the sky, just as the seal of Panem flashes through the sky, the anthem blares out and the faces of the tributes that died today shine out into the black night sky. They start by showing Jareth's face, I begin to think about what my action have caused, there is a family broken because of me, people in District 5 will be crying, he may have had a girlfriend, who thought that he would be coming home, and I took that from him… From them.

The next face that is shown is the boy from 11. And then my heart sinks as Robbie's face is shining out over the arena, and I forget all about killing the boy from 5. I can only begin to imagine the way the careers are acting about Robbie's death. I feel my body tense up, and then I feel a small hand lay it's self on top of mine. I turn my head to see Cat facing me. "Come on" she says her voice softer than ever "We need to get some sleep"

She helps me gather all of the packs together, and then we scale the tree; we throw all of the packs to the bottom of the sleeping bag before climbing in our selves. Cat traces the lines on my hand with her finger tips; she makes slow circles on my palm. This has always been calming to me, this mixed with the fact that Cat is around, is helping me to feel more secure in this place, I feel less secluded when Cat's around, I always have. With her near me, I feel home, I feel like I am back in the warmth of my house in District 12.

It's strange for me to feel so dependent on another person, I have never had this problem, since my dad walked out on us, I haven't needed anyone or at least that's what I told myself. But now that Cat's here, I don't want her to leave; I don't want to be left alone again. I feel my eyes struggling to remain open; I look at Cat for a while, her eyes are closed but I can see movement inside them, and I know she is still awake; I take a hold of her hand stopping her from tickling my palm. I fall asleep holding onto her hand. I fall asleep feeling safe and grounded.

_**A/N: **__I hope you like this ch__apter, I hated making Jade upset and vulnerable in this chapter but it had to be done… The lyrics are from the song 'Hear you me' by Jimmy eat world. Please read and review it means a lot to me I appreciate all comments and opinions (good or bad) _

_P.S; Chapters will be published later now (most likely once a week since I have got my first assignment at college)_


	13. Chapter 13

**13**

I wake in the morning with my eyes stinging from tiredness. I feel completely numb in my body due to yesterday's events, and I find myself struggling to do anything. I give Cat a quick nudge with my elbow; she nudges back playfully, giving me a sly smile. I lay next to her motionless for a while; the two of us lay in silence. That is until Taylor comes to my mind, and it is the thought of him watching me back home that makes me move. I say simple commands to Cat and me like "We have to get up" and "we need to hunt today" I pull all of the packs from the bottom of the sleeping bag handing Cat's to her.

I drink some water, to remove the horrible taste that has invaded my mouth. I pack away the sleeping bag unbuckle myself from the tree and scuttle down the bark, closely followed by Cat, I place my hands on her hips when I can reach her helping her down (even though I know she doesn't need my help). I put the others knives in my pack. I didn't want to hide them knowing that if someone found them, they could be used, but with the spear being removed from the games, I had no problem hiding the spear heads.

Cat and I walk for a while, my stomach feels hollow. Cat taps my arm and points in the direction of a nearby tree. I see a flock of grooslings Cat takes out three before they even knew what hit them. Cat and I find a dry, flat patch of land a start a fire, neither of us really care about the excessive smoke drawing attention to us.

"Where are you Ryder?" I mumble as Cat and I cook one of the birds, and the left over nuts from Robbie's pack. "We are right here".Who knows where they are, they could be thinking this is a trick, or they could be too far away from me, or it could be possible that they fear Cat and I.

They must know that I have the knives, and they know for sure Cat has to bow and arrow, they saw her in training they know this is her weapon of choice, and they know that no one else could beat her to them when we all rushed towards the cornucopia.

Do they know that I blew up their supplies? Do they know I killed Jareth after they killed Robbie? After all we are…Were, from the same district and what about the girl from 10 did she see me blow up the supplies? But then I remember how surprised she was when she found the wreckage.

Will they think that whoever lit the fires yesterday has lit these, or do they know that it's Cat and I?

Maybe if Ryder win's he will get to see all of this stuff, and then all of his queries will be answered. The victor sits on the stage where we had our interviews surrounded by their support team. They sit the winner in a place of honour I can imagine Ryder sat there. But I remember that I promised Robbie I would be there. But then there's Cat, and all I can think about is getting her out of here alive. The simple fact is I don't want Cat to die.

Cat and I slightly over cook the bird, but it's better than nothing. I silently hope to see another tribute so that Cat or I can redeem ourselves and show the residents of the capitol that we are worthy of supporters, alas no one shows up. Maybe all the other tributes are killing each other.

That's fine by me; it's one less person that stands in the way of me or Cat winning. Cat and I almost finish the bird in one sitting we pack away what remains of the bird for another day; we find a stream and bathe. Once in a while, we even share a small kiss. Once we are done we refresh our water, and even though it is only early evening, we climb a tree and settle down for the night.

My brain still replays the events of yesterday, the spear piercing Robbie's body, my knife puncturing the boy from 5's neck. I keep asking myself why I'm so hung up on this boy, but then I realise he was my first kill. Along with the many other statistics kept to help people place they're bet's each tribute has a kill list. And even though I will be credited for Tara's death, the boy from five was the first person I knew for a fact would die with my actions.

So far my kill list will stand at two, and as far as I know Cat's will be one.

Today has been uneventful according to the sky no one died today; I wonder how long it will take for the game makers to come up with their next plan. Only six of us remain, so we are a quarter of a way through The Hunger Games.

Once the anthem has stopped the sound of trumpets fills the air. The only communication we have is the death toll, usually when the trumpets sound it is to announce a feast, this happens when food in the arena become scarce the feast is usually held in a place all the tributes know about, like the cornucopia, sometimes there is a feast and others times there is just a loaf of stale bread, either way the idea is to get the tributes face to face, so they can fight.

Bertram Sisman's voice booms out over the arena and then he is announcing a rule change, the new rule means that any two tributes can win if they so choose. Bertram clarifies the new rule, almost as if he knows no one under stands. "Any two tributes, from any Districts can win, that is if they choose to share victory." The news sinks in. Any two tributes can win, if they choose to. Both of us can live. I sit up bolt right and before I even think about it I am shouting.

"That's perfect!" I slam my hands over my mouth. Cat looks at me confused. I lower my voice, "Cat, we can both win" she arches an eyebrow at me. I explain the rule to her again "The last two surviving tributes, can decide whether they want to both be victors or not."

She thinks about it for a while. And then her eyes widen "So, if we both stay alive until the end we will both win" I nod; having to explain things multiple times to Cat could easily become strenuous. But her lack of understanding makes her who she is, and I really like who she is.

If I was watching this back home, I would hate anyone who decided to be selfish and kill the last remaining tribute just so they could have all the glory, if two people are now allowed to win. Then this year Panem should have two victors.

It is obvious with this new rule change, that Cat and I will become closer than ever, and with the way things have been for Cat and I, that's what the public will be hoping to see, we will be coming across as the star crossed loves, two completely different girls from two equally as different backgrounds. Hopefully this will gain Cat and I a lot more sponsors.

And then it hit's me, maybe it's mine and Cat's relationship that has spurred this sudden rule change, obviously, if two tributes can win Cat and I must be popular right? This thought makes me smile. I look up to the cameras, to be sure that they can see me. I notice out of the corner of my eye Cat holds the same expression I do.

I begin to think of the other tributes heading towards us, if they heard me shout. But if no one came during the daylight when we had a raging fire, then I highly doubt if anyone will turn up now, after all for all they know, it could be a trap. Should we run? No, the best thing to do is stay here and sleep. Cat and I will have all the time we need tomorrow, all we have to do, is find the other tributes and take them down.

I sleep fine, but in the morning, I feel extra cautious, the careers may not have attacked us at night while we were safely up the tree, but there is nothing stopping them getting us once we are on the ground. Cat and I eat the left over bird from yesterday as we walk.

I know that Cat and I will be the first people the careers want dead after hearing this new rule change, who else would benefit from it? All of them want to glory for themselves, and any others who remain don't have any ally's. Cat and I need to find somewhere we will be safe, but somewhere that's also close to a water source, I know from first-hand experience that you need water in this place. But resting by a lake would be too easy; it would be like shooting fish in a barrel for the other tributes.

But starting at a lake is the best option we have, there is water and food there, if we see anyone all we can do is hope we get them before they get us.

Cat and I decide to light a fire as a decoy; even if the careers know it's a trick hopefully they will be expecting us to be nearby when in reality we are looking for the safest place to hide. The sun is heating up in the sky, and I can tell already that it will be the hottest day so far, all the mud on the ground is dry and hard. Cat and I have to remove our jackets and store them in one of our packs.

Cat and I find a small stream, the only down side, is there are no trees to keep us concealed, and the sun is shining down ferociously on this specific patch of land. Still it's better than nothing. Cat bends down by the edge of the water and scoops it up in her hands before throwing it over her face.

The heat is making my eyes and head feel heavy. I want to stay here and rest for the rest of the day, but it wouldn't be a wise move to make, not now we've got this far. "Come on, we've got to go now" says Cat softly.

"Go where?" I ask, rubbing the tiredness out of my eyes.

"Anywhere" she says with a shrug. "Some where we can hide, until there are even fewer of us" she walks over to me and holds out her hand, she starts trying to pull me up "Come on" she says smiling. I grab hold of her wrist and tug on her arm lightly pulling her down to me.

I grab the back of her neck with my free hand and pull her towards me for a kiss. She kisses me lightly then pulls away and smiles "Seriously, Jade we have to go" I stand up and sigh. I take one of her hands in mine and the pair of us set off walking once more.

I can feel my body becoming more lethargic with the heat. My head feels like it's throbbing, we have only made if fifty meters before I have to sit down. I place my head between my legs, and take deep breaths, while Cat rubs my back. She taps my shoulder making me look up. She points out in front of us, and roughly twenty meters away is a cave.

It's not much and we are only a short length away from the others, but if we can stay hidden here then that gives us a better chance. Cat drops her packs at the far end of the cave and sits on the cool floor. I walk over to her and sit next to her.

Though the stone floor of the cave is cool, the heat from outside bursts through the opening, making the temperature inside almost unbearable.

I look around the small stone structure, and sigh. The sky outside is turning dark, and we haven't eaten since morning. Cat and I sit outside the cave; the air is still hot, obviously the game makers are messing with the heat trying to test us in more ways than just one. It doesn't take long to cook one of the other birds Cat shot yesterday. We eat in silence, before Cat goes back into the cave to settle down for the night. I on the other hand sit outside looking into the sky waiting to see what appears in it tonight.

Nothing, there have been no deaths today, but hopefully something will have kept them entertained. I walk back into the cave, and the air seems even hotter inside the stone walls. Cat is laid down on the floor, her head rests on the sleeping bag, she has her eyes closed, and her breathing is steady and even.

I walk over to her and sit down beside her. She opens her eyes and glances at me "Well?" she asks her lips barely move as the word slips out of her mouth.

"No one" I say "Still six of us left"

She nods slowly before sitting up and reaching for one of the many bottles of water we now have. She takes big gulps, before screwing the lid back on it and placing the bottle back in the pack. "How are you feeling?" she asks, since my dizzy spell early caused by the heat, I feel fairly decent.

"Okay" I admit with a small shrug. I pick up one of the other packs and pull out another bottle of water. There have been hot days in the arena but there has never been a night like this, if anything I would say this is one of the warmest nights I have ever lived through.

"Good" she smiles at me. "And how's your hip now?" truth was that I had all but forgotten about my hip until she brought it up, I hadn't felt any pain in it for a few days now, the medicine had worked wonders.

"Okay again" I say, I lift up my shirt slightly showing her the now partially blistered skin. She bows her head taking a closer look at my hip. I can feel her warm breath on my skin; she lightly runs her fingers around the area of the almost invisible burn.

"Yeah it's pretty much gone" she says sounding more than impressed with how effective the burn cream had been especially on the infection. She brings her head back up slowly; a faint smile appears on her lips. Her eyes are meeting mine and before I can really stop myself I am leaning forward to kiss her.

She kisses back like she normally would, but when she doesn't pull away after the usual amount of time, I lean forward pushing her backwards; she keeps herself propped up with her elbows. My hands are out at either side of her waist. I pull away from her, looking into her face; she tilts her head back, her hair is now flowing down her back.

I kiss along her neck, working my way up to her jaw. I feel her smile; my lips find my way back to hers. She lightly bites my bottom lip. She wraps her arms around my neck, her fingers entwine with my hair, and she is kissing me urgently, passionately, like she'll never get the chance to again. It's a wonderful feeling, to know that she feels this way about me. I wrap my arms around her waist, pulling her back up, pushing her closer to me. My heart it drumming thunderously in my chest, it feels like it's going to burst through my rib cage.

I feel her smiling again through the kiss; she pulls away for a short second, before bringing her face closer to mine again she traces my bottom lip with her tongue before kissing me once more.

We are pulled apart by a low rumble of thunder, that echo's around the cave. Cat pulls backwards, her breathing ragged. She swallows hard. I lay a hand over my chest, where my heart is, I am scared senseless by the abrupt sound.

Cat turns her head to the entrance of the cave, and narrows her eyes, in the distance; a small silver parachute floats down from the sky. She stands up and walks out into the open air. She walks back into the tent holding the parachute. "It's for you" she says, her voice shaky. She hands me the parachute, and sits down beside me. I read the tag that's attached to it.

_Warm night? Maybe these will help cool you off. E. _

I sigh and open the box, two small clear cubes sit in the bottom of it I pull one out, holding it between my thumb and index finger. It's synthetic ice; it's as cold as what normal ice would be, but when you hold it, no water drips to your skin, I know now that they will never melt. I hand one to Cat, showing her the note. She chuckles lightly, and places the ice cube into her bag next to her water.

She looks at me, smiling brightly. "I think we should get some sleep" she says, laying down, still making sure her bow and arrows are close to her. I sigh and lay down. We both lay facing each other, despite the heat, Cat and I lay close together, I can feel her warm breath on my skin.

I look into her eye's and smile "Night Cat" I lean forward and lay a light kiss on her lips, before pulling away and closing my eyes.

"Night Jade" she whispers, before she takes a deep breath and settles down to sleep.

_**A/N: **__I don't know what to say about this chapter really other than CADE! And I hope you like it. Thank you to everyone who is read__ing this story, and thanks to the people who have already reviewed. Please read and review it means so much to me I appreciate all comments and opinions (good or bad)_


	14. Chapter 14

**14**

It's early in the morning when I decide to move, very early, they sky holds a pink shade as the sun is starting to rise above the clouds. I didn't sleep much if at all. I stayed up for a while guarding the cave, making sure no one found us, and although I tried to sleep frequently I never could, I think it was the heat keeping me awake. I open one of the packs and find the last remaining bird that Cat shot. I walk outside and the air is cold and damp, like it had been the day of the reaping. I can smell the damp earth and the damp trees. It's not a horrible smell but it could smell better. I can feel tiny flecks of rain hitting my face as they are blown around in the light breeze that flows through the air.

I cook the last bird carefully, making sure that it is cooked perfectly, the bird we over cooked yesterday had been rubbery and tough, and with this being our last bit of food I would hate for it to go to waste. When I walk back into the cave with the bird placed on a flat stone, I see Cat sitting up bow and arrow ready to shoot.

I arch an eyebrow at her and she lowers the bow placing the arrow back into the sheath that sits next to her "I woke up and you were gone" she says. "I was worried"

I chuckle. I had never had anyone say they were worried about me before well not that I could remember anyway, people usually just left me to do what I wanted when I wanted. "You were worried about me?" I ask; my reaction seems to ease Cat.

"Yeah, I thought that maybe Ryder and the others had found you" she says her tone soft. "They prefer to hunt at night" she informs me, this must have been something she learnt when she was spying on them while I was comatose due to the tracker jacker venom.

"Well as you can see I'm fine" I say flashing a smile. I sit down beside Cat and we eat the groosling, luckily it is cooked much better than yesterday the meat is soft and tender and the grease fills your mouth as soon as you bite into it.

We eat in silence, something I hate to do, it feels uneasy to me, I think that while you are eating you should have conversation, not necessarily while your mouth is full obviously, but in between bites you should talk otherwise it becomes awkward. Once we have eaten Cat is the first to speak.

"Did you sleep?" she asks, running a hand through her hair.

I shake my head "No but I'm okay" I say. But truthfully I am exhausted.

"Well sleep now" she says, I hesitate "Jade, it'll be fine, if anything happens I have my bow and arrows or if you prefer I will wake you" I purse my lips "Jade, you can't stay awake forever"

The girl had a point with that one. "Fine!" I say reluctantly "But you wake me up after a couple of hours" the air is cooler than it was last night, but it is still far too warm for the sleeping bag. I role it out on the floor and lay on it.

Cat sits just next to me, her back rested against the wall, her bow and arrows are close at hand. She looks down at me "Go to sleep" she says softly, she gently brushes a strand of hair from in front of my eyes, and places it behind my ear. This gesture feels so comforting to me.

I sleep far too long, I can tell by the brightness of the sky when I wake that we are in late afternoon. Cat still sits beside me, her position unchanged. I sit up feeling annoyed, yet more awake than I have been in days. "Why didn't you wake me?" I ask my tone harsh.

"There was no need" Cat says. "Besides, you look better when you sleep, you don't scowl as much" she says, there is a joking side to her tone but still her comment catches me off guard

"I don't scowl" I snap. Even now I can feel myself scowling.

"You do, a little bit" Cat says. I sigh and role my eyes, I can feel my scowl fading slowly, but it still clings to the edges of my face, ready to make another appearance at any moment.

"We need to do more hunting today" I say changing the subject.

"Okay then, let's go now" Cat says standing; she grabs her bow and hangs it on her arm, while she slings one of the packs and her sheath of arrows over her shoulders. I stand, picking up the remaining packs; I check my knives that are placed in my belt before the two of us leave the cave.

I can't decide if the soft mud is a good thing or a bad thing; our tracks will be left in the ground which will make it easier for us to find our way back to the cave, but also it will make it easier for other people to find us.

The temperature begins to drop drastically it isn't long before Cat and I find ourselves pulling on our jackets and zipping them up to the top. My skin is becoming paler than usual due to the cold air. I notice small goose bumps surfacing on Cat's jaw, her lip trembles slightly.

Unfortunately there is no sign of wildlife, no stray feathers from birds, no rustling in bushes and the only tracks on the floor belong to me and Cat. It begins to dawn on me that the food will be running low if it hasn't already gone. All Cat and I have left is some stray bits of meat, and that won't last long between two of us.

The most we have managed to find is a few berries, plants and roots, sure this will make a meal but it will nowhere near suffice. Finding a bird or rabbit begins looking ominous. I can feel the hollowness in my stomach. The air is no longer damp, but the air is harsh and icy. It feels more like winter than summer, and even in the winter I have never felt so cold, my body aches from shivering, the cold air is making me catch my breath.

"M-maybe we sh- should just g-go back" Cat stutters, her lips have turned a pale blue shade, and parts of her skin are beginning to turn the same shade. She is lethargic as she tries to walk back. The drastic change in weather has already started to take its toll on her.

"Yeah" I agree, I wrap one of my arms around her waist and place one of her arms around my shoulder, it's shocking to me how quickly her health has changed. And it turns my stomach to think that this is the reaction that the game makers want. They want to make us ill, so we will be easier targets. They enjoy watching people struggle while they are sitting in their houses safe, warm and healthy.

I half carry her back to the cave but truthfully if needed I would have fully carried her back. She lies down in the sleeping bag; her skin has turned white as snow save for underneath her eyes, they are dark purple, and are slightly swollen. I make her drink some water and force her to try to get some rest, I look out of the mouth of the cave and see the sun is only just setting, the sky has turned orange, pink.

Cat pulls one of her hands free from the sleeping bag and holds it out in front of her, I wrap it in both of mine, her skin feels icy against mine I let go with one hand and bring her ice cold hand to my lips I place a small kiss on her fingertip before holding it in both my hands once more.

"Go to sleep" I whisper. I brush more of her hair away from her head, she closes her eyes, welcoming the sleep, she snuggles into the sleeping bag she slowly pulls her hood up pulling it down over her eyes.

I can see how short her breaths are, she is still stuttering when she speaks "G-good ni-night" she musters, and she still shakes as the cold works its way around her body.

I sit and watch the sky turn, dark, and when I see the bright shine of the seal of Panem I go outside even though I am sure I know what the sky will reveal tonight, there have been no cannons which means there have been no deaths, still the six of us remain alive.

I stand and walk back into the cave. I slowly and carefully slide into the sleeping bag next to Cat. The air is calm and still, there are no sounds, not even the sound of trees rustling in the breeze or the birds singing the last of their songs for the day, there is nothing. For once in the games I fall asleep to complete silence.

I wake in the morning to find Cat looking at me; her dark brown eyes look heavy and dull. I can see her pulse beat rapidly in her neck, and this is the first sign to me that something is wrong, very wrong. She gives me a small smile, and I can see her lips cracking as they stretch, I notice small beads of sweat surfacing on her head, and she trembles slightly.

I place the back of my hand against her forehead, she is burning up. Her skin is paler than it had been last night, it's is verging on being translucent, and it scares me slightly.

"Morning" she says, her voice cracks slightly.

"Morning" I reply, I give her the best smile I can muster but it's hard especially when she looks as ill as she does. "I'm going to make some food" I inform her I stand before she has time to say anything. I walk outside and the bright sky makes my eyes sting, it isn't as dull as it was yesterday, but it is still as cold. I use the same flat rock from yesterday to make a meal out of the berries, plants and roots Cat and I had gathered yesterday.

It isn't much but it will have to do, Cat and I were unable to find any wildlife yesterday, and this is the best we could come up with, I walk back into the cave and see Cat trying to sit herself up, she's weak. "No" I say as I see her, she looks at me confusion fills her face. I sit down next to her, balancing the scarce meal on the rock. "How are you feeling?" I ask.

"Good" she says but I think it is mainly for my benefit, I know that she will be able to tell I am worried- that will be evident on my face, the whole of Panem will be able to see the worry pulse through me.

I nod "Well, here it's the best I could do" I say as I place the food on the floor between us. She screws up her face and turns her head away.

"I'm fine" she says.

"You have to eat something, we haven't eaten since early on yesterday" I say, I know that forcing her to eat will do no good, but I can't let her do without.

"I'm not hungry" she argues.

"So you don't want anything?" I ask

"No" she says, I see her contemplation in her eyes and then she is speaking again "Wait, tell me a story" she says.

"What?" I ask

"Tell me a story" she repeats herself.

I can feel my eyebrows furrowing together, I can feel the deep creases setting in my head, in all honesty I don't tell story's to people, apart from Taylor. I don't know where to begin I think about what I want to tell her especially when I know the whole of Panem will be watching. "How about I tell you about the first day I met Robbie?" I suggest. She nods weakly. I take a deep breath, I want to remember Robbie, and this is the best way I can, to remember him from the very beginning right up until the day he died.

I begin to tell Cat about the day I met Robbie, it had been my first day ever of school, and I remember it being just before my dad walked out on us, it had been a freezing cold Monday morning. I stood wearing a thin brown coat- it had been all my mother could afford at the time- and I was in a light blue dress. My hair had been tied up in pig tales- the amount of detail I could remember shocked me slightly.

Our parents took us into the school building, and I remember seeing children crying as their parents said goodbye to them, not me though, I just wanted to do something, the first thing I ever did at that school was paint, I don't remember why, but I know that's all I wanted to do. It was while I was painting I met Robbie; he had been an extreme small child when we were younger. He had far too much hair for his head, and his glasses were huge on his face.

He had this strange confidence about him, all the other children were stood quietly by themselves or playing alone in the sand. But Robbie bounded over to me and introduced himself. "Hi, I'm Robbie" he had pronounced proudly, although at the time he couldn't say his R's properly so his name came out was 'Wobbie'

"I'm Jade" I told him. My voice much quieter than his, and that's all it had taken back then, just to know each other's names, because after that we spoke all day at school, as the years went on I found myself waiting for Robbie to walk through the doors of the schools. Back when I first met Robbie I had no idea of the impact he would make on my life, and I am just glad I met him when I did, had I been any older I would have probably ignored him, and never taken notice.

"He sounds like he was nice" Cat says, I had almost forgotten she was there.

"Yeah" I say "He was nice" I can feel the tears burning my eyes slightly, but I refuse to cry at this moment in time. "He was amazing" I say, and it's true he was. Robbie was one of the only people I could really talk to- no scratch that, he was _the_ only person I could talk to.

"He seemed it when I spoke to him" she says, I had almost forgot that they had spoken briefly one time in the training centre, and suddenly I remember being really jealous of him, because he was talking to her. And it's the small things like this that make me miss him all the more.

The sound of trumpets startles me, and then it's the voice of one of my new favourite people Bertram Sisman is making an announcement. And as I expected, he is inviting us to a feast, and though it sounds tempting, I know it's just a way to get us all together. And I roll my eyes at his offer. But then he speaks again "I know some of you may be turning down my offer" he pauses "But this is no ordinary feast. There will six packs, one for each of the districts that remain, inside these packs is something that is needed desperately" I stop to think; what do I need desperately?

I know what Cat need's. Cat need's medicine, she is clearly ill, anyone can see that; I've changed my mind; I'm going to the 'feast' even if it is just to get Cat's medicine. He is speaking again "You will find the packs at the cornucopia, think wisely before you decline, for some of you, this may be your last chance" Announces Bertram.

There's nothing now, nothing other than his words hanging in the silent air, I jump as Cat reaches out and takes hold of my wrist her fingers burn my skin. "No" she says "You're not going".

"Who said I was going to?" I ask; I try to keep my voice defensive.

"So you're not going?" she asks, she seems to be getting weaker by the minute, and her pulse is beating faster than it was before.

"No" I lie. "Do you think I'm stupid?" I pause "I'm not going to go running straight towards Ryder, Beck and Andre" I push her down gently hoping she'll go to sleep "Give me some credit Cat" I say, giving her a false smile.

She eyes me surreptitiously "You're not great at lying" she says "You're going to go aren't you?" she asks

"Yes" I hiss "And you can't stop me"

"I'll follow you" she argues.

"Cat, you can barely sit up, let alone follow me" I scoff

"I'll drag myself if I have to, and I'll shout your name" she threatens.

I can't believe how stubborn she is, or how ditzy she could be, would she really try to come after me? Would she really call out to me? I guess I could just trap her in the cave, that way she couldn't follow me. It's strange but I am actually contemplating that option. But I shake the thought from ym head.

"Well what am I supposed to do Cat?" I snap at her "Do you expect me to sit around and watch you struggle to move when I can go and get you something that will help you?" I can feel the anger rising inside me.

"Jade, I'll be fine. I promise I'll be fine. Don't go" she begs. I know there is no way out of this for me, so I act reluctantly and pretend to go along with it.

"Fine" I sigh "But you have to do everything I tell you too" I point at her, and she nods her head, I can see that she is fighting hard to keep her eyes open. "Drink plenty of water, wake me up when I ask you to, and eat something"

I glance towards the mouth of the cave just in time to see a silver parachute float down from the sky, it's the third one I have seen, and I know Cat has noticed it too, she tries to stand to get it to it "No" I say, and she slowly lowers herself back into the sleeping bag. I walked to the parachute and pick it up in my hand. I notice two things are attached to it, there is a small pot that is boiling hot with a spoon taped to the side of it and then there is a small vial. I open the vial, with my heart feeling hopeful, _it's medicine_ I think _someone has sent Cat medicine. _

And then I gag as the sickly sweet smell fills my airwaves. And it is medicine just not the kind I was hoping it to be. It's sleep syrup- everyone at some point in their life will have had this, or will have to have it. And the pot is filled with soup. I pour the vial's contents into the pot and mix it together for a while. I walk back into the cave smiling.

"Look what Euphemia sent you" I say it was the first thing I could think to say and I remember Cat telling me that her stylist was called Euphemia, so it might just work. Her face brightens up. "Now remember you said you would do what I told you" I remind her "So you have to eat everything that's in this pot okay, no matter how bad it tastes"

She nods and opens her mouth as I spoon feed her- it's been a long time since I did this, the last time I fed anyone other than myself was when Taylor was really young.

"It actually tastes really nice" Cat says, "It's really sweet" says Cat as she swallows the last spoon full

"Yeah" I say "It must be the berries that are in it"

Cat shakes her head "No it tastes really sweet, almost like syrup" she thinks for a short while, and I chew on my bottom lip nervously. Her eyes widen as she realises. I clamp my hand over her nose and mouth, so she has no choice but to swallow, she tries to fight the best she can

"Shush" I say "Don't fight it, don't fight" I instruct, and slowly she calms down, I can see that she is already losing consciousness. And I sit back and look at her with a mixture of sadness and satisfaction filling my body.

"Who can't lie?" I say, and it doesn't matter to me that Cat can't hear me, because I know that the rest of Panem can.

_**A/N: **__Just a bog standard chapter really. Oh well I hope you like it anyway, please continue to read and review I love knowing what you guys think, and once again I really do appreciate all the reviews and opinions I get (good or bad) and a big __thanks once again to everyone who has already reviewed and thanks for still reading this fic. _


	15. Chapter 15

**15**

I don't know how long I have, they gave no specification to a time that the packs would be left at the cornucopia, but I know they won't be there yet. I need a way to buy time. I decide to gather rocks, if I am leaving Cat alone, and 'sleeping' the cave will need to be well guarded. It's a slow and gruelling job, but after a lot of work, I am proud with what I have achieved. From the outside (and to anyone who doesn't know about it) the cave now appears to be a formation of rocks. I can still crawl in and out of the cave to get to Cat, which is good because I will want to share that sleeping bag again tonight.

Also if I don't make it back from the feast, Cat will be fine, she'll be well hidden. Though she won't be totally imprisoned, I feel I know Cat well enough to know that if I don't come back when she wakes up she will see that she has been 'blocked' in and she will probably start freaking out.

I crawl back into the cave through the small gap I have left uncovered. I crawl over to where Cat lies, I take one of the packs, and lay a small kiss on her forehead, her temperature is going nowhere but up. I need the pack from District 1; I don't care about my pack I don't need anything other than for Cat to be okay.

I leave the cave and fill up the water bottle that sits in the pack, next to it I see the small synthetic ice cube that Erwin had sent the other night. I smile as I remember its events. I walk for miles until I reach the cornucopia. Nothing, I see nothing; no sign of food no sign of packs and definitely no sign of life. But that doesn't mean that there isn't someone lurking in the foliage.

Was all of it a trap? Are there any packs? Is there even a feast? I crouch down in the bushes, and wait, usually they notify a time for feast, but this year all they have done is given us a location. Suddenly the sound of trumpets fills the air again, and Bertram Sisman's voice booms out and echo's around the arena

"We regret to inform you that the feast has been postponed" I feel the anger welling up inside me "The feast will now be held at dawn; at the cornucopia" and then silence fills the air. I tense my jaw, and push myself up from my crouching position.

I walk back to the cave with the sky turning dark, no faces appear in the sky tonight, but tomorrow will be a different matter; a feats always means at least one death. I crawl into the cave, and for the first time in a few nights, I wear my glasses, I see no point in sleeping, I don't want to miss dawn, but still, I snuggle into the sleeping bag next to Cat, I wrap my arm around her waist, I kiss her hair. I can feel her fever radiating back onto me.

I know that it is going to be a long night, I have no one to talk to, and I have nothing on my mind, leaving it free to wonder back to my mum and brother in District 12. At this late on in the games, school will have been cancelled, leaving my family free to watch the rest of the games in our home or in the square with everyone else; they will have privacy and comfort at home, but support in the square. Spirits must be running high back home, usually we have no one to root for at this point.

Will my family and my district also be rooting for Cat? Or do they want her out of the picture? If I close my eyes I can imagine the screams and shouts back home, I can imagine the excitement running through the residents of District 12's veins.

I watch as the moon sweeps slowly across the sky, and when I feel fairly confident that dawn is approaching I begin to make my preparations. I make sure I have everything I will need in my pack. I double check my knives; I have six in my belt and three that I found in Jareth's pack all those days ago. I remove Cat's jacket and put it on over my own; it is a bit of a squeeze but I need all the warmth I can get. I know Cat won't mind me taking this, besides she doesn't need it, not with her fever; or the sleeping bag.

I kiss Cat; it's a long lingering kiss. I can feel tears burning the backs of my eyes. I suck them back; crying will only make things worse. My heart tightens as I think about leaving her, even if it is for her own good.

I squeeze out of the gap in the cave and head towards the cornucopia. The cold air bites my cheeks. I wish I was back in the cave already, I want to be laid in the sleeping bag; sleeping safely next to Cat. I move as fast as I can, at least I have my glasses, making it easier for me to see things, but the cold air is giving me ear ache, it is messing with my balance, and the pain is almost like a burning; making it hard for me to hear or concentrate.

I reach the cornucopia when the sky is still a black starless sheet spreading out across the arena. I see no one once again I feel I am the only one here. I hide in the foliage and wait for the blood to flow. I eat a few small berries that hang on the bush just in front of me; the berries are cold and hard with the weather. I am glad I had the sense to take Cat's jacket; I can smell her on it. I want to be with her I want to be back in the safety of our cave.

The sky turns a pale pink shade, but still there is no sign of anyone else. But that doesn't surprise me; everyone in the competition has either defined themselves with cunning, or strength. Do they think that Cat is with me? I doubt that the girl from 10 even realises that Cat and I have teamed up. It will be all the better if they think she is covering me when I go in for the packs.

But where are they? The arena is now light enough for me to remove my glasses. The birds have already started to sing in the trees surely it's time. For a short moment I start to panic; thoughts of me being at the wrong location begin to swim my mind. But no, I am sure that Bertram said the cornucopia, and then all of the sudden, the ground rumbles and splits in two. And a round table with a pure white cloth covering it emerges from the ground. On the table sits five bags, two large black ones with the numbers _10 _and _4 _ on them a medium sized red one with the number _12 _on it- and still I can't think of anything that I need desperately, I know of things that I want but nothing that I need. Then there is a slightly smaller green on that has the number _2_ on it, and then a small orange one this must have the number _1_ on it. That's the one I need.

The table has just clicked into place when a figure emerges from the distance. The figure grabs one of the black packs- the girl from ten. I should have known she'd be the first one to get to the packs. The rest of us still stay crouched contemplating when it would be best to make our move, and she has got hers. It really was a clever plan; she knows that no one will chase her, not when their own packs sit on the table.

I look back to the packs once more, there is only one pack for District 1, but this is the only district that still has both of its tribute's left alive. I wonder, if it is possible that Beck also needs medicine, and this is a natural selection method used by the game makers, to see who the strongest tribute from District 1 is. I could easily take both packs destined for me and Cat, although this could bring on a pursuer.

I watch as the girl from ten darts away from the cornucopia, and I start to think that maybe she is my main competitor. She has cost me far too much time. I now know that I have to be the next person to get to the table.

Anyone who gets there now will easily take Cat's pack, and be gone. Without thinking I set off at a run. I can sense the danger luckily I am fast enough to deflect the oncoming weapon with my pack. I turn and hurl a knife straight towards Andre's heart.

He turns just fast enough for it to miss my target, but it does catch his left upper arm, unfortunately for me, he throws with his right hand. But this is enough the slow him down. I reach the table and slip my arm through the straps of the small orange pack- it's too small to fit on any other part of my body. I turn just in time to see Andre remove my knife from his arm and throw it back at me; it catches my forehead and cut's just above my eye.

Blood runs down my face, blinding me temporarily, the strong metallic taste of blood fills my mouth. I stagger backwards and through another knife at him- even though I know my attempt is wasted, I know it will miss him.

And then he slams in to me. He slams me onto my back, pinning my shoulders to the floor with his knees. _It's over_ I think and I hope for Taylor's sake that this will be fast. But I can tell by the look in his dark brown eyes that he wants to savour this, this moment that all the careers have been waiting for, and it's him that will have the glory of killing me.

No doubt that Ryder is near by watching on, waiting for Cat to make her appearance "Where is she 12?" Andre asks with a sneer "She ditch you as well?"

As long as I am talking to him I am still alive "No, she's out there now, looking for all of you" I snarl. And then I shout as loud as I can "Cat!"

Andre slams his fist into my windpipe cutting off my scream. But he whips his head from side to side, and I know I have struck a nerve. But when she doesn't appear, he snaps his attention back to me "Liar" he says smiling. "She's left you" then his eyes art down to the pack around my wrist and a sadistic smile creeps along his face, and it becomes evident to me that the games have changed him, all the time in the training centre he seemed like a happy go lucky person, but now he is the polar opposite of that. "Either that or you have her strapped in some tree where she lies dying"

"Is that medicine?" he sneers "Well, she'll never get it" Andre snatches one of the knives from my belts. "I promised the others that if I ever got to kill you, I would give the audience a good show" I struggle to fight him off of me, but it's no use, he is both heavier and stronger than me. "It's no use 12" he snarls "We are going to kill you just like you killed Jareth and Tara" his breath is becoming heavier "First you and then your ally how does that sound?" he asks "I think I will start with your mouth" he trails his thumb lightly over my bottom lip. I try to bite his hand, but he grabs my hair and pulls my head back down to the floor.

He starts to trace the outline of my lips with the tip of the knife. I want to close my eyes but the comment about Cat has filled me with rage. I will not cry out, I will not close my eyes, I will stare him down for as long as I can.

"I don't think you'll have much use for your mouth" he says, his voice almost taking a musical tone to it. I work up saliva in my mouth and spit it at him; I can see the rage filling his eyes. "Let's start then"

I feel the first cut in my skin, the sharp scratch that is sure to be the first of many; but then I feel a great force yank Andre from on top of me. And then he is yelling in pain. I am stunned at first. Has Cat come around and come to my rescue? Or has a hovercraft pulled him away from me?

But when I push myself up shakily I see Andre crashing into the metal of the cornucopia. I let out a gasp as I see Beck pinning him to the cornucopia pressing his arm against his throat. And then Beck is shouting, I have never heard him shout like this, he is usually so calm "What did you say about Cat?" he grips his hands around Andre's shoulders and slams him into the cornucopia. "You're going to kill her?" he spits.

"No" says Andre, panic fills his voice.

"I heard you!" Beck screams "You want to kill her?" he slams him into the metal once more "You going to cut her up like what you planned to do to Jade?" it shocks me that he remembers my name. He brings his fist towards Andre's face.

"No!" Andre screams. "No!" I am shocked at how sacred he is of Beck. Beck grabs a nearby rock and slams it against Andre's head. Andre drops to the floor, he tries to drag himself away. But Beck pins him down and repeatedly slams the rock against his head. My heart races in my chest. I can't look away from the scene that is playing out in front of me.

Beck stands slowly and drops the rock on the floor, I know Andre is dead. The cannon fires confirming my thoughts, Beck whirls around to face me. Anger still evident in his face "Where's Cat?" he ask "Is she okay?"

I nod slowly. "Yeah sh-she's fine" I say my voice cracks as I speak. "We're allies" I say- although it is evident that we are more, but he doesn't know that, nor does he need to. His jaw tenses "Look whatever you are going to do, just make it fast okay" I say I try to keep my voice stern and determined, I can't let him know how scared I am.

"Go!" he says "Just this once though, and not for you, but for her" he takes a deep breath "Go!" he repeats himself. I nod and push myself up further until I am standing I grab hold of the pack with the number _12_ on it. "You'd better run girl" he says.

I don't have to be told twice, I run; I head straight back for Cat.

_**A/N: **_ _A quick update with this chapter, I hope you like it. Please continue__ to read and review, I love reading what you guys have to say about this fic and I am really happy that you are all enjoying it. I appreciate all comments and opinions (good or bad) _


	16. Chapter 16

**16**

I run, and I keep running until my breathing is ragged and my breath burns the back of my throat. Panic sets in as I think about the possible outcome of what I have just witnessed. It is obvious that Ryder will be going in for the kill now, but what I don't know is who he will be looking for. Ryder has his sword so either way he has to come in close range with however he tracks down and I have my knives which I can throw a fare distance, but what about Beck? A boy, who I have never spoken to, who has just saved my life, all because I teamed up with his fellow District one tribute. What weapon does he have since the spear was removed from the games along with Robbie?

_I could have saved him _I tell myself and it's true I could have. I have shelter, he could have come with me but instead I was selfish and decided to run to save my own skin. What if Beck had done that? Where would I be? That's right. I'd be hovering over the arena being carried back to District 12. I should have saved Beck that way Cat would know for sure he is fine and he would know she was fine and then he could stop worrying about her and I would feel a hell of a lot better about myself.

I regret not saving him already.

How will this be viewed by Panem? Will they be happy with my choice? Or have I gone down in peoples estimations, and has Beck just shot up. I know one thing, I have a new found respect for him, he could have killed me, and gone to find Cat himself, but he let me go, he let me go so I could go back to her. For the first time in these games I hope that if I don't win, he does. That he can find Cat and the both of them can win and lead happy lives.

I stop and slump next to a tree, I feel woozy and nauseous no doubt the feeling is due to my head wound. The blood still pours from it; I can feel the hot sticky liquid trickling slowly down my face. I feel sick, my breathing becomes heavy. The only other time I have felt remotely like this was the day of the reaping, and if I remember correctly I threw up into a bin, but this time, it is a much more aggressive feeling. I have to fight to keep my eyes open. I have nothing other than the sleeve of Cat's jacket to stop the blood flow. I pull the jacket as far over my hand as I can, and I press it to the gash on my forehead.

I can feel my body shaking, and the arena seems to be spinning. My heart is pounding in my chest and it keeps seizing, it feels like it might explode. For the second time in these games, I am truly worried I might die. I feel like everything is closing in on me.

I have to move. I need to get back to Cat before it becomes too late. I pull my hand away from my head, and see that the sleeve of Cat's jacket is sodden with my blood. I push myself up from the ground, but the minute I stand I stumble backwards into the tree.

I push myself off of it and start to walk again, my movements feel delayed, and everything seems to blur past me. I know that I will be on all of the screens in Panem. People will be watching eyes wide in anticipation. I can imagine, the fear and excitement they will be feeling, while all I feel is sickness, worry and stress.

My breathing begins to become heavier, and I can feel my breath jerk out of me, like it is getting caught in my throat on the way out before it is final released. I can feel the tears begin to fall from my eyes. I can't stop them, I can't stop anything. My heart is beating rapidly, it's aching with every beat. I begin to gag, but I feel it is only a threat that I will vomit, nothing burns the back of my throat, nor does anything creep up it, all they are, are empty gags.

Cat, I have to find Cat_. _I keep telling myself this over and over but, I can't find the strength to run to her, all I can do is walk slowly, while blood still flows thickly from my head, once again I bring the sleeve of Cat's jacket to my forehead and hope that the blood flow will stop soon enough.

Everything looks the same to me at this moment in time; nothing has its own unique qualities like it usually does. Everything is bland, brown and green.

My mouth is dry, and my tongue begins to stick to the roof of my mouth, I feel more exhausted than ever. I stop I stand with my back pressed against a tree. I pull a bottle of water from my pack and take long gulps trying to replenish my thirst.

I pour some of the water clumsily onto the sleeve of Cat's jacket and wipe my head clean with it, some blood still falls freely from the cut but most of what is on my head is dry. On putting my drink back into my pack my fingers stumble across the synthetic ice cube. I pull it out and hold it in between my index finger and thumb. I place it over the cut, hoping the ice will help ease the pain.

I only allow myself a minutes rest; I don't know how much longer I am going to be able to keep walking feeling the way I do. And I don't know how long I have left to get back to Cat before she wakes up.

I have to force myself to move. I throw the ice cube back into the bag and start to walk once more. The panic I felt before has subsided, it is still there, lurking deep within the corners of my conscious but the feeling is nowhere near as powerful as before; if Ryder was looking for me, he would have found me and I don't doubt for a minute that if he had found me I would be dead, it's all he has wanted, to find me and kill me. And while ever I am still alive and able to move, I will not allow him or anyone else the satisfaction of killing me.

I don't know how long it has taken me to find the cave, but when I see the rough stone structure, I feel like a great weight has been lifted from me. I squeeze my way into the cave, I feel happy when I see Cat still lying on the floor sleeping. My hands fumble with the pack. I dump the contents into the floor. A small thin box containing a needle flops to the floor. I unfasten the box and clumsily I jam the needle into Cat's arm I slowly push down the plunger.

I run a hand throw my hair, and bring it back letting it flop in my lap; my hand is slick and red with blood. My breathing is heavy and slow, as my breaths leave my mouth I can hear myself wheeze. The last thing I remember is a beautiful green, blue beetle landing delicately on my index finger.

The sound of rain lashing down and drumming on the roof wakens me. My head is pounding, I must be sick. I keep my eyes closed trying to drift back to sleep, and then I feel a gentle touch on my forehead, I don't push the hand away, which is strange for me, usually I can't stand people touching me. But I allow them to stroke my hair out of my face. The feeling is far too comforting to me.

And then I hear a female voice, not my mothers, and I begin to feel scared. "Jade" she says "Jade, are you awake?"

My eyes open and any sense of safety I felt vanishes, I am not where I thought I was, I am not back home with my family, instead I am in a cold dank cave, feeling chilled to my bone. The air smells of blood, to me it's not an offensive smell, but there are smells I would prefer to wake up to.

Then a pale face of a girl comes in to my view. And after the initial shock, I feel safe again. "Cat"

"Hi" she says "It's good to see your eyes again" she smiles at me weakly.

"How long have I been out this time?" I ask.

She shrugs "I don't know" she pauses while she thinks "I woke up yesterday and you were laid in a pool of blood, it was scary" she looks at my head "I think it's stopped bleeding now though, but I wouldn't sit up if I was you" she advises me. But since when did I listen to people?

I sit up and bring my hand to my head, I find it bandaged, I feel sick and dizzy, but I won't let it show. I look at Cat "You're better" I say.

She nods and smiles "Yeah much better, whatever you shot into me has worked a treat" she says "I feel great compared to what I did, still a little dizzy but at least I can walk now" she sounds impressed when she speaks, and it brings a small smile to my lips.

She doesn't seem mad about me lying and drugging her, but then again she never seems mad. "Have you eaten anything?" I ask; I can feel my hopes being high, thinking that maybe someone sent some food for us.

She nods "Yeah there is a little food in the pack labelled 12" she says "I hope you don't mind I ate some, but there is still plenty left for you" her voice sounds panicked.

"No it's fine, if it's there might as well eat it" I say with a small shrug "And I guess we could try hunting again, maybe gather some plants and roots" I suggest.

Cat nods "But were not going hunting yet, let me look after you this time" she says. It's not like I have much choice, she starts feeding me small amounts of food, that we have left and makes me drink plenty of water. I hate people looking after me, I don't need them to I am more than capable of taking care of myself. She makes me sit huddled in the sleeping bag while she sits next to me.

I keep offering to share with her, the air in the cave is freezing, but she always turns it down. Whenever I ask she shakes her head and smiles. There is a rumble of thunder and then a flash of lightning. I am sick of the changes in weather the game makers keep throwing at us. Why can't it just go back to being warm and stay that way?

"So who's the target?" she asks.

"Erm the careers and the girl from ten" I say. "Although the girl from ten will be hiding somewhere, so that just leaves Beck, Ryder and…" and then I stop myself.

"I know Andre's dead, Jade" she says "I saw him in the sky last night" she looks down at the floor and then back up to me "Did you kill him?" she asks.

I shake my head "No Beck, broke his skull with a rock" I say, her eyes widen in shock, and then she bites her bottom lip nervously for a second.

"Good job he didn't find you eh?" she says.

The memory of the feast swarms my thoughts, I can remember every detail, every sound I heard, everything thing I saw, it's all so vivid and clear, it makes me feel sick "He did" I admit "But he let me go"

"Why?" she asks in disbelief.

I take a deep breath, I know I have to tell her, I can't keep this type of thing from her "Because of you" I admit with a small shrug. "He knows that while ever I know where you are you're safe so he let me come back to you" I sigh "And now, I owe him big time"

"Not really. Jade you don't owe him; it was his choice to let you go"

I look at her confused, and then I can feel the anger welling up inside me "Look, I don't expect you to understand, you have always had everything handed to you on a plate you don't know what it's like to live where I do."

I can see I have insulted her, I can see it ridged deep in her eyes "What's that supposed to mean?" she asked.

I know that this isn't the type of thing she wants to hear but I can't keep it contained "If you lived in District 12 in the seam, you would understand and I wouldn't have to explain this to you"

"Oh, so because I am from District 1 I don't understand things, or am I just too stupid to understand it Jade?"

"It's like when you found me dying in these game's and you helped me out, I will never stop owing you for that" I say.

She arches her eye brow at me "Jade, I think it's safe to say you have done hell of a lot for me in these games. You have just nursed me back to health." She says.

"But when you found me you hardly knew me, we had spoken twice and that was it, you could have killed me there and then and you didn't" I say I look at her confused "Why?" I ask "Why didn't you kill me?"

She looks at me "You know why" she says "Do you not remember what I said to you on the roof of the training centre, or did that mean nothing to you?" she says, her voice growing softer, her tone transforming into a whisper. She sighs "So, Ryder and the others" she says. "I guess it's asking too much to hope they kill each other before we find them"

"I think I would like Beck" I say, looking at Cat "I think he could be my friend" I don't know why I am telling her this; I could be keeping this to myself. I regret so much walking away from him; he could be here now, with us, safe and sound. And then I could sabotage myself, and die so that he and Cat would live.

"Let's hope we don't have to kill him" she says, sadness fills her voice as she thinks about Beck's death.

"I don't want to have to kill anyone else" I say. "I don't want anyone else to die" I shouldn't be saying this, this isn't the type of thing you hear from a victor, but maybe I'm not a victor, maybe it's not in the cards for me to win. I can feel the tears brimming over the edge of my eyes.

"What's wrong?" Cat asks, her tone filled with worry.

I answer her, though I know that my answer will make me seem like a weak snivelling child "I want to go home, Cat" I say.

"You will go home" she says "You are going to get home I promise". She kisses me, and I kiss her back, I can feel her ice cold fingers on the side of my face and it send shock waves through my body, making the skin on my face ache with the cold.

"I want to be home now though"I say when she pulls away from the kiss.

"Jade, you'll be home sooner than you think" she tells me. "We both will" she gives me a weak smile.

It is surprising how much the games can change people, before I was a contestant, if I was at home watching this I would be scoffing at the two people clinging so desperately to empty promises, but now, all I can do is hope, and it's all I have been able to do for a while now, I don't like what I have become in these games, I don't like feeling dependant on someone else. I want to be my own person again but I never will be. Even if I win these games, I will become public domain and I will have to watch the way I act and watch the way I speak, I will never be free to say and do what I want again.

Cat and I sit motionless with our backs pressed against the wall. We sit and watch the rain through the small gap I left uncovered. The rain which is now lashing down, bounces off of the floor, and some droplets have found their way into the cave, a small puddle has been made near the entrance.

Cat and I decide to make the best meal we can with what we have, in the pack labelled _12_ there is a small amount of meat, some nuts, berries and some plants and roots. Cat and I are both famished, we finish the food in no time. "Tomorrow I say we go hunting again" I say defiantly.

Cat nods "Fine, I don't know how much we will find though" she says. "Last time we went hunting we came back by mid-afternoon with nothing" she says.

"Well, tomorrow we will use the full day, we will hunt from dawn until dusk" I say. "We are bound to find something if we search all day"

Cat slides into the sleeping bag next to me, she rests her head on my shoulder as the anthem begins to play. We can't see the full extent of the sky, but we can see well enough to know that no one died today.

"Safe to say Ryder and Beck haven't had it out yet" I say, I try to add a joking edge to my voice, but I even I know that was a failed attempt. Cat nods slowly her head still rested on my shoulder. I move my shoulder slightly, giving her head a little nudge, she looks up at me, her dark eyes heavy "If you are that tired go to sleep" I say softly. She moves her head off of my shoulder and we both lay down, facing each other. Cat grabs one of my hands, her fingers slip into the spaces between mine. I can feel her ice cold finger tips resting gently on the back of my hand.

"Night" I say quietly, she mouths the word back to me, and within a minute she is fast asleep. I lie awake, my mind swimming with the thoughts of the day, and how I can get Cat out of here alive, there are only five of us left, two of which I would have no problem killing, but if I come face to face with Beck again, he would kill me, because I wouldn't have it in me to take him away from Cat, I know how I felt when I saw Robbie die, I couldn't do that to her.

_**A/N: **_ _Hope you like this chapter Pl__ease continue to read and review tell me what you think; I appreciate all comments and opinions (good or bad) A big thanks once again to everyone who had reviewed so far, it really does mean a lot to me, and thanks to everyone for reading. _


	17. Chapter 17

**17**

I wake up to the sound of thunder echoing around the area of the cave, a flash of lightning snaps me fully from my doze, with the dullness of the sky it is hard to estimate what time it is, all I know is that it is daytime. I watch as droplets of rain fall into already made puddles causing small ripples to flow through them. Cat lies beside me, still sleeping soundly. Tiny murmurs slip past her lips, her voice is so quiet the words she is saying are incoherent.

I watch her as she sleeps, her face looks so young and her tiny body makes her seem like she is only a small child. She lies curled up in a tight ball, closer to me than I remember her being last night, not that I mind.

I slip out of the sleeping bag slowly, and reach for one of the packs, to my dismay, I don't find much, just a half empty bottle of water, and a few scraps of food, the food will be enough for us for the morning but after that finding food is a must. I lay the scarps out on the floor to get a better idea of how much we will have to eat each, the answer to that, not a lot. As I make small movements I still feel a little woozy, my head aches slightly, but it is nothing compared to what it was. I close my eyes for a few short seconds, hoping to relieve the dying bits of pain that remain in my forehead.

I open my eyes and I see her sit up slowly from the corner of my eye. Her red hair is splayed out on her head; she rubs her eyes with her fists and lets out a huge yawn. "What you doing?" she asks, her voice groggy.

"Nothing much" I admit "Just looking at what we have to eat, and to be honest it's not a lot" she gets out of the sleeping bag and walks over to me, her face is a lot less pale than it was yesterday, still not its usual colour but she does look far healthier.

"How are you feeling today?" she asks as she sits beside me.

"Better. And you?" I reply, she looks from the floor to me and smiles

"Much better, thanks" she says. "After you knocked me out" she adds with a cheeky grin. I grab her hand entwining my fingers with hers.

"I had to" I say, I am a little less joking than she was, there is something, though, just something rooted deep within her doe eyes that makes me think she doesn't understand the severity of the moment and why I had to do what I did.

"Well, as long as you don't do it again" she says there is a slight joking edge to her voice

"And if I do?" I ask donning the same joking manner.

"I'll… I'll" she says, as she thinks of something to say. "Give me a second"

"What's the problem?" I ask

"The fact that we are both still alive" she says, I can't believe she finds this a problem, if anything this is a blessing, it means we can both win, ultimately it means we can both survive.

"I don't see how that is a problem" I say, verbalizing my thoughts "I did what I had to do in your hour of need" I add.

"Don't, Jade" she says. I tighten my grip on her hand. "Don't put your life in danger just for me okay?" she says, her eyes fill with sadness.

And then I think of something and maybe it's wrong but who cares about that, I want food- better food than what we have-and I may have just found a way to get it, without hunting that is. The public loves a romance that has been proved already with the sudden rule change, what if I can get Cat and I food by playing on what we have. I mean I do care for Cat don't get me wrong on that one, but maybe exaggerating that may help us out tremendously.

I look at her and make sure that my eyes connect with hers.

"Well what if I did it for me?" I say, "What if I worry about you? What if I worry about what it would be like without you?" I say. And as I am saying the words, I realise how true they are. I don't want Cat to die, I don't want anything bad to happen to Cat ever, and once again I hate her for making me feel this way, I shouldn't care, I wouldn't usually care. But it's Cat and I have always cared, on some strange level before I had ever even spoken to her, I wanted her to be safe.

Cat eyes me for a while, and then slowly she leans in. And it's in this moment more than any that I wish I could conceal us from the eyes of Panem, in this moment, I don't want anyone to watch us, and I regret doing this now, because these are the moments that should be private and just the two of us. I wish I had never thought of it, even if it means we would be without food, because for all I know this might not even work.

This kiss is the softest yet, it makes me crave another kiss more than any of the others have, and I don't know why. I don't know why this kiss means more than the others but it does, I feel something deep within my chest and stomach. But it's not the usual pesky butterflies that are usually fluttering around whenever we kiss; it's more than that, so much more. It's a strong feeling, it's not a bad feeling, but it's strange, I have never felt anything like this before.

Cat and I are pulled apart by a loud clang I turn my head to look out of the gap in the mouth of the cave, a silver parachute lies on the cold muddy ground, Cat dives up and squeezes through the gap out into the open air she comes back with a pot in her hand, and I know that it's food. She places the pot in between us and opens it to check its contents; fresh rolls of bread, goat's cheese, apples and best of all a rich stew that contains thick chunks of beef laid on a bed of rice.

Every fibre of my being wants me to dig into this food and eat every bit of it. But Cat stops me "We best take it slow" she says "We don't know when we will next have food like this"

"You're right" I sigh. We eat subtle amounts of the food, we half an apple, and have a roll each and then we have an egged size serving of the stew and rice. The food even came equipped with cutlery. I eat my stew in tiny spoonfuls I try to savour every mouth full. When we are done, I look at the food, my mouth waters.

"I want more" I say.

"Me too" says Cat.

"I'll tell you what" I say "Why don't we wait an hour or so, and then if we still want more we will have some more"

"Agreed" she says with a nod "But it'll be a long hour" she adds.

"Maybe not" I say. "How about you tell me a story?" I suggest with a shrug, getting to know Cat more than I do wouldn't be a bad thing.

"About what?" she asks, she raises her eyebrows in wonderment.

"I told you about when I first met Robbie, tell me about how you met Beck" I say.

"Kay kay" she agrees "We have known each other a long time, maybe a little longer than you have known Robbie" she starts. I nod in interest "Our dads are close friends they always have been, and my dad he often goes around to see Beck's dad and there was one day when I was younger that my mum was out with Tony, they were at the doctors having tests done to see what was wrong with him, so my dad took me with him while he went to the Oliver's house" she pauses while she remembers their meeting.

"And when we got there my dad and his dad started talking about something, what it was I don't quite remember. Anyway, I was told by my dad to go and play with Beck, I had heard him talk about Beck to my mother when we would return home from his visits. It didn't take much looking to find him, He was a bulky child, not fat, it was all muscle even then you knew that he would be strong." She looks down at the floor before her eyes work their way back up to my face. "And he bounded up to me, smiling from ear to ear; it was an infectious smile when I saw it I had to give him one back."

The way Cat talks about Beck's smile reminds me of hers, whenever I see her smile, I can't stop myself I have to smile back, maybe it's a District 1 thing, maybe they all just have this charm about them. "He was confident even as a child, he had no problem talking to anyone, he introduced himself in a chirpy voice, and I told him who I was, and then that was pretty much it" she says with a small shrug. "Since then we have been best friends"

I can see the sadness in her eyes as she thinks about the past years she has spent with Beck, and how she may never get the chance to see him again. I grab hold of her hand, slipping my fingers into the gaps between hers "He's been a lucky guy to have a friend like you" I say. She gives me a crooked smile, only turning up one side of her mouth, it's not the smile I am accustomed to it's not the usual bright smile that she throws at me every day.

"Thanks" she says quietly "But I'd count myself as the lucky one"

"Why's that?" I ask. She sighs and shrugs "Tell me" I say. She sighs and shakes her head slightly.

"Because" she says "I have been lucky enough to have a home and a caring family, and a friend like Beck who has always been there" she pauses and her grip tightens slightly on my hand "And then I met you" she says, the tone in her voice makes me think she is slightly embarrassed about saying the part about me, but I have to admit it's not like I haven't been thinking it about her.

I chuckle "Yeah, I'm sure your folks will be thrilled with the fact that you like someone from the Seam all the way in District 12"

She shrugs "If I am being honest I couldn't care less what they think about us, at the end of the day all that should matter is that we're happy right?" she says "Besides, if we make it you'll be a girl from the Victors Village" she says smiling.

It's true, if Cat and I make it out of here alive, we will both live in the Victors Villages of our Districts. Long ago when the game's first began the capitol had half a dozen houses built in each district especially for the victors of The Hunger Games. Of course only one is occupied in District 12. But in 1 Cat would be surrounded by people. It makes me a little uneasy to think that Sikowitz would be my only neighbour.

"But I'd still be from District 12" I say with a shrug. Cat rolls her eyes at me so I decide to take the conversation in a different path "And my only neighbour would be Erwin Sikowitz" I say. Cat smiles I know that the audience will be enjoying our conversation; many people in Panem know of Erwin, he is the insane victor from 12 and more importantly the only victor from 12.

The sun begins to dip in the sky and the air around us turns icy cold, Cat and I make our way to the sleeping bag and sit with our backs pressed against the wall, we sit as close together as we can, she rests her head on my shoulder, and my head lays on top of hers. "How do you think he did it?" I ask out of the blue.

"Who did what?" she asks her voice soft.

"Erwin" I say "How do you think he won?" I ask.

"I don't know" she admits "Maybe he just had more tactics, or maybe he was stronger than the others, or he could have just simply out smarted them" she says. I nod, and then I let the conversation drop, I don't think that it'll be on the list of most exciting things to happen since we have been in these games.

I know that Erwin is mentally unstable, but had he always been that way, or had the games destroyed his state of mind as they seem to with so many others? Had it gotten too much for him to see two tributes into the games year after year with not a single survivor? I realise that if I get out of here that will be my job, to mentor girl tributes from 12, to get them trained up for these games.

I thrust the thought from my mind, that's before I decide that I have to eat again. While Cat serves up to more helpings of stew and rice, the anthem begins to play, I rush over to the rocks to peak through the gap; I can see the seal of Panem stretched out across the arena.

"Jade, there'll be nothing to see" says Cat "There were no cannons" her voice sounds confident, but there is a face in the sky tonight and though we never heard the cannon there must have been one because someone had died.

"Cat" I say, I can feel the lump rising in my throat.

"What, do you want to another roll?" she says her voice so calm

"Cat" I say again.

"Fine, we can split another roll but I am saving the cheese for tomorrow" she says. She looks over to me, and sees me glaring at her "What?" she asks confused.

"Becks dead" I say, my voice cracks as I break the news to her, I can feel the bile starting to climb up my throat.

She shakes her head, tears beginning to form in her eyes "He can't be" she says "No" she swallows hard "He isn't they didn't even fire a cannon" she says, her voice is becoming frantic as the tears cascade down her face.

"They must have fired the cannon during the thunder and we must have missed it" I say

"N-no" she repeats herself "No, h-h-he can't be. Anyway it's r-raining buckets out there I don't know how you c-c-can s-see anything" her words are broken up by sobs, Cat pushes me out of the way and looks through the gap. I can see the devastation on her face as she sees Beck's face in the sky.

She pushes her self away from the pile of rocks and slumps down onto the floor, she pulls her legs up against her body, and she rests her head on her knees, and she openly sobs for the whole of Panem to see. This is the first time I have ever seen Cat like this, and I hope it's the last. Its hurts me to see her like this, I don't know what to do.

And I feel sad too, had it been anyone else I would be- and I hate to put it this way but it's true- happy, because it would mean one less tribute to contend with, but all I can think about is how much he meant to Cat and, that he let me go because of her. I will never stop owing him for that, and now I will never get the chance to repay the favour. I sit next to her and wrap my arms around her pulling her closer to me. She rests her head on my shoulder and I stroke her hair, and even as I am doing this I know that nothing will help. I know by the way Cat sits, and with the sounds escaping her that she is inconsolable, and more importantly I remember how I felt when Robbie died.

I grip onto Cat as tight as I can, I mask my own sadness, I know it will be nothing compared to what Cat is feeling at this moment in time, but still it hurts me more than it should and who is going to bet on a tribute who cries when their competitors die? Robbie was one thing; we were from the same district and we had been friends our entire lives. But I shouldn't care about Becks murder. The thought shocks me, murder!

I am just thankful that I didn't say it out loud. I slowly start to rock back and forth with Cat in my arms, and I hum in her ear. In this moment, the only thing I care about is making sure Cat's okay. She moves her head from my shoulder and looks straight into my eyes. Her face is red and her eyes are swollen from crying.

I can see how much it is hurting her to have to carry on now as if everything is okay because it's not; she wipes her eyes with her hands and rests her chin on my shoulder. "I'm sorry" I whisper in her ear.

"Why?" she replies "It's not your fault he's dead"

"I could have saved him though" I say "The day he let me go" and I have no problem talking about that out in the open because let's face it everyone will have seen that, that's where all the action was happening that day "I should have saved him and I didn't and now" I say. I stop before I say the words.

"Don't think like that" she says, her voice is hoarse "Please, never think like that"

She pulls her chin off of my shoulder and kisses me, and I know it's her way of showing me that she doesn't blame me for what has happened. She pulls away, and she places her hands on either side of my face, once again her fingers feel like ice against my skin "If anyone's to blame it'll be Ryder or the girl from 10" she says.

"Most likely Ryder" I say "The girl from 10 stays well hidden" and once again I find myself hating the girl for being smart enough to hide in the cornucopia. "It'll be easier to catch Ryder than her anyway" I say.

"Yeah, and no doubt he'll be injured" Cat says, her eyes shine slightly from the tears "Beck wouldn't have gone down without a fight, he is, was strong and he would never back down" she says.

"Maybe we won't have to catch him" I say hopefully "Maybe they will kill each other and then we can just go home"

"Yeah maybe" she says, her voice is distant, and I know it's because her mind is else were.

"So, we need to start thinking up better tactics" I say "We can't just keep going as we have been, we have to make a move, and we have to start taking watch again, we can't be lax Cat, not now, we have to win this" I say.

"I know" says Cat with a nod then she looks at me "For Beck and Robbie" she says "Beck would want me to win this and I know that Robbie would want the same for you" I nod. Cat and I eat some more food and then we get into the sleeping bag. I lie next to her, and all but force her to sleep while I take the first watch.

She wants me to stay in the bag with her so I do, and I lay as close to her as I can get. It doesn't take long for Cat to sleep, I look down at her and pull my hood over my head, I hide my face the best I can, and while I am doing this I say goodbye to Beck silently. I thank him for my life, and I promise him that if there is anything I can do for his family if I win that I will do it without a second's hesitation, and then I promise that I will look after Cat and keep her safe, come what may.

_**A/N: **__I hope you like this chapter. Please continue to read and re__view it means a lot to me I appreciate all comments and opinions (good or bad)Thank you to everyone __for reading this story so far again it means a lot, and thank you to everyone who has reviewed I love reading what you guys think. _


	18. Chapter 18

**18**

The rain stops during my shift, but it's not a slow steady stop, it never slows, it just flat lines. The only thing left, are the tiny droplets of rain that fall from the branches of nearby trees and the top of the cave. Out into the horizon, a beautiful moon appears, it is so bright that I don't need the glasses to be able to see. I don't know if the moon is real or not. That's the thing about these games; you never know if a thing is real or fake. One thing I do know though is that the moon was full not long before I left for these games.

I remember Robbie and me once wondering aimlessly around the Seam, and we watched it rise, as we walked around the cold village.

How long have I been gone? I think it has been roughly two weeks in the arena, and then there was the week's preparation in the training centre. Is it possible that the moon has completed its full cycle? For some reason, I want this moon to be the one Robbie and I saw, I want this to be our moon. At least then I would have something to hold onto in this place, where the reality of even the smallest thing is to be questioned.

Only four of us left. It is the first time I have truly believed I could make it home, along with Cat, the two of us could be safe and back in our home Districts within a matter of days. I would return to wealth, to my own house in the victors village- of course my mother and Taylor would live with me- we would have food, and we wouldn't have to worry about things again.

But on the down side, Cat wouldn't be with me anymore. She would be back in District 1 leading her own life. And then I think of Erwin, what has his life become, he has money sure, but he has no family, no wife, and he is crazy. I don't want that life. I don't want to be alone.

"You won't be alone" I mumble to myself. I will have my mother and Taylor. But then what? What happens when Taylor grows up, and my mother passes away, then I'll be alone, because I will never marry, and I will never have children, in any sense of the word, be it adopted or my own, I refuse to have children, because if there is one thing that being a victor doesn't change, it's the fact that your children are still eligible to compete in these games.

My children's names would be thrown straight into the reaping bowls along with everyone else's. I can't allow that to happen. The bright moon illuminates Cat's face. Who will she become when she goes back to District 1? Will she be the same charming girl as ever who has people clinging on to her words? Will she still have that infectious smile? Will she still be able to work a crowd like she did in her interview?

_At least we will still be friends_ I tell myself, even though that won't be enough for me not even being good friends will be enough for me, I want what we have now, whatever that is. But I can't help but feeling that if we get out of here, we will lose this. I'll lose her.

I feel exhausted, but I can't bring myself to wake Cat up, I know how tiered she will feel, she has just lost someone who was close to her, and I know how draining that will be. So I leave her sleeping, I leave her until the sun begins to rise and the sky has turned a light shade of pink. I lightly shake her shoulder, causing her eyes to flutter open. They still look swollen from her crying yesterday, and they look heavy, like they might close again any moment.

I dip my head and give her a long kiss. She smiles at me weakly, though it doesn't reach her eyes, the only thing that lies in them, is the sadness, and the ghosts of yesterday's tears, threatening to make another appearance. I wouldn't blame her if she cried again; there are times when I want to cry over Robbie's death. "We're wasting time" she says quietly.

"I wouldn't say we were wasting time" I say. Again I am faced with the same weak smile.

"So what do we do, do we go hunt on an empty stomach?" she asks, her voice hollow, and drained, no life or substance hangs in it, all it sounds like is a monotonous drone.

I shake my head "No, I say we stuff ourselves to give us some extra strength" I say.

"I'm good with that" she says with a slight nod of her head, I can see she is trying to live life in here as normally as she can, but I can also see that the light that usually resides in her has been doused, and I can see that it is the grief has killed it.

She seems surprised when I share out the remainder of the stew and hand her a heaping plate "All of this?" she asks.

"Yeah, I am sure we can earn it back today" I say, trying to keep my voice hopeful. I remember the last time Cat and I had to hunt and we found nothing, though we did have to call it quits early on because Cat became ill. I hope that today we can use the full day and get some food.

Even though the food is cold, it is still one of the tastiest things I have ever eaten. It doesn't take me long to eat the food, Cat on the other hand, struggles with every bite she takes. "How are you feeling today?" I ask in a hushed tone, I know the answer, but it's all I can think to do.

She shrugs "I don't know really" she admits "I feel tiered if anything"

I wrap my arm around her waist and pull her closer to me. Her arms find their way around my neck. And once again I feel myself rocking slowly from side to side, with Cat wrapped in my arms. "Are you sure, you're okay to go hunting?" I whisper. I don't want the people of Panem to see the true extent of the things they are doing. Now more than ever Cat and I have to be strong.

Four of us left, that's it, Cat and I, and Ryder and the girl from ten, and in all honesty I have no problem killing the cocky boy from 2 or the sneaky girl from 10, the sooner I can kill them the better, the sooner they die, Cat and I can go home to safety.

"Yes" she says, her voice cracks, and it's the most life I have heard in it all morning. She brings her head from my shoulder and places a light kiss on my lips. "I'll be fine" she says, her voice only just audible.

Once we are packed and stood outside our cave, the atmosphere and our moods change, everything turns serious; Cat no longer shows her grief. It's almost like the last few days have been a respite, what with the rain, and the shelter, and with Ryder being preoccupied with Beck. But today is sunny and warm, and Cat and I can't help but feeling like we are behind in these games. I only have a few knives left, what with the two that I lost during the feast and then what I lost destroying the careers supplies, I almost feel like I have nothing.

"He'll most likely be hunting us now" says Cat in a quiet voice from the side of me. "From what I learnt about him, in the brief amount of time I spoke to him, he isn't one to sit around and wait"

"Yeah, but if he is wounded" I begin

"That won't stop him, Jade. If he can move then he is coming for us" she says, there is something lodged deep within her eyes and in her tone of voice that shows me how scared she is about coming face to face with Ryder.

With all the rain, the stream, has become overflown, Cat and I replenish out water there. I look around on the floor, and there are still no signs of animal tracks, but that doesn't really surprise me with the weather. "We need to be heading back to my old hunting grounds" Cat says as her eyes quickly dart around the floor, and in the foliage looking for any signs of food.

"It's up to you" I say with shrug, and to be honest I don't care where we hunt. I just want to find some food.

"Okay" says Cat "So, all we have to do, is head back in that direction, and just keep an eye out for any signs of food" she says. I can tell she enjoys having this much say in things, it's obvious that when she used to spend time with the other careers they didn't really care about what she had to say, and it seems that even though I have never really stifled her opinions or views it still shocks her that she can have her say in things.

The brightness of the sun is making me squint, which doesn't help with the head ache I have due to the wound that runs across my forehead, luckily after three days, it has stopped bleeding, although Cat has made me where a bandage around my head just in case physical exertion brings it back.

It was easier to hunt with Cat near the beginning of the games, like when we first joined as allies, we had no problem, but now that everything has nearly gone, everything is much more difficult. "Maybe we should split up" she suggest. I stop dead in my tracks and arch an eye brow at her. "Look Jade we need food there is no questioning that, and I just think that this will be an easier way to get some"

I sigh, I know she's right. The amount of food we have won't last us long, all we left is an apple two rolls and a blob of cheese the size of a plum, it's nothing compared to what we need. "Yeah sure" I say, I try to make it sound like I don't care but I do, because the last time I was alone, I came face to face with Andre, and came close to losing my life, plus, I don't want Cat to be alone, I don't want her to have to face Ryder. I sigh again before I speak "So what's the plan?" I ask

"I'll go looking for meat, you look for plants and roots" she suggests. I nod in agreement.

"Okay, but I won't go too far" I say, I point a finger at her and she nods

"Okay" she says with a small smile appearing on her lips. Cat and I make another bird whistle, it's not like the last one which was a melody it's just two whistles plain and simple. I walk away and every so often Cat whistles just to let me know she's fine. I whistle back and then continue to look for berries, roots and plants.

It has been a while since she whistled. I whistle to her and when I hear nothing I begin to panic. I travel the short distance back, but when I get to where I last saw her, there is no evidence she was ever here.

"Cat!" I scream I can hear the desperation in my voice I drop all my belongings and head back to find Cat. "Cat!" my voice cracks as I shout as loud as I can. I turn to the sound of rustling coming from a bush, and I almost send a knife straight at her, luckily I flicked my wrist at the last second and the knife lodges into a tree bark to her left.

She jumps back; the two rabbits that hang lifelessly in her hands begin to swing slowly from her motion. Any fear that I felt comes out as anger "What are you doing?" I ask "You were supposed to be hunting not running around the woods"

"I saw some faint tracks leading up to the stream, I followed them, and I was right too" she says holding up the dead rabbits.

"Well I whistled you didn't respond!" I yell at her.

"I didn't hear!" she shouts, her voice going up in pitch. She walks over to me, I can feel myself trembling.

"I thought Ryder had killed you!" I say through clenched teeth.

She shakes her head "No, I'm fine" she wraps her arms around my neck but I don't respond if anything I try to move away from her "Jade?"

I push away from her "Cat, if two people agree on a signal they stay in range, we did last time so why did you think it would be wise to wonder off today?" I spit.

"I'm sorry" she shouts once more, her voice is high pitched once again.

I move away from her and make my way back to the pack where I came from, Cat follows me and looks down at the food, the apples and rolls are fine, but someone has been eating the cheese. "You ate without me?" she says

"No" I say shaking my head.

"Oh so the cheese just disappeared, or did the apples eat it?" she says.

"I don't know who ate it but it wasn't me" I say. "I was looking for berries, would you like some?" there is some hostility in my voice, not much compared to what there could be, but more than she deserves, more than I have ever had when talking to Cat.

"Yes" she says quietly.

Cat and I walk over to the berries I collected. She bends down and takes a closer look at them, she squints her eyes and roles one around with her finger tip. That's when we hear the cannon. She whips her head around to me; there is panic set deep within her eyes, like she is half expecting me to be on the floor motionless. I grab her arm and pull her towards the foliage. She tugs away from me.

"She isn't Ryder's kill" she explains "She's yours" I arch my eyebrow at her

"No. I haven't even seen her since the feast, plus I have been with you. How could I have killed her?" I say my voice becoming defendant with my alibi- not that you need one in this place people prefer you if you kill someone. It's then that she picks up the berries and holds them out to me

"Nightlock" she says in a haunting tone "If you eat one, you die before they even reach your stomach"

_**A/N: **_ _I hope you enjo__yed this chapter, especially since not a lot happened until the end. Please continue to read and review I love knowing what you guys __think, and once again I really do appreciate all the reviews and opinions I get (good or bad) and a big thanks once again to everyone who has already reviewed. _


	19. Chapter 19

**19**

I should have known straight away that the girl from ten had eaten the cheese, she is the only one sneaky enough to not get caught besides, if it had been Ryder I am sure that he would have killed Cat and I had he been anywhere near us. "Cat?" I begin "How do you know all this stuff, about hunting and about plants and everything else?" I ask.

"I've told you" she says "I was taught everything I would ever need to know in these games, how to kill, how to fight, how to hunt, what you can and can't eat. My parents were very thorough in what they taught me, they didn't know if I would ever be here or not, so they wanted to make sure I knew how to cope with everything if I ever found myself in the games, and I thank them for doing it" she says, a small smile spreads across her lips.

"Oh" I say. It had never really occurred to me to do anything like that, and I would have thought that in District 1 they would care more about getting sponsors than hunting for food themselves. I guess it's a good job Cats parents cared so much about her, she hasn't really seen much on the sponsor front.

"Jade, how do you think she found us?" she asks her voice grave

"She's smart" I say with a shrug.

"Not that smart" Cat says "She didn't know what nightlock was"

"Yeah neither did I" I say feeling down heartened by Cat's comment "I guess if it wasn't for her eating them we would be dead" I sigh "Well maybe not, you were smart enough to know what they were" I say

"Jade, just get rid of them" she urges

"I have a better idea" I say "What if we can trick Ryder into eating them. If he chases us we can make it look like we have dropped them while we were running" I begin "And if it works and he eats them" I can feel a huge smile spreading across my face.

"Then we can go home" Cat says grinning brightly.

"Exactly" I say, I gather the berries and set to work on making a small pouch out of some leaves and grass, it's not much but it does the job I intended it to.

"He'll know we're here" Cat says "He will have seen the hovercraft. He knows she's dead and he knows we killed her. He's on his way I guarantee it"

I sigh, I know she's right. But if we run now we still have our meat to cook, and the fire would tell him of our new whereabouts' we may as well just stay where we are "Let's make a fire here and cook this food" I say as I gather twigs.

"Are you ready to face him?" Cat asks, fear resides in her voice, and panic sits in her eyes.

"I'm ready to eat. It's best to cook this food now, he already knows we're here, but he also knows that there are two of us, and he knows we killed the girl from ten, that means we are in fighting spirit, setting this fire is more like an open invitation, would you show up?" I ask her.

She shakes her head "No" she says quietly.

It doesn't take us long to set a fire and cook the meat I leave two rabbit legs out, one for me and one for Cat, we eat them as we walk along the now almost dry flat earth. We go deeper into the woods I begin to climb a tree to make camp, but Cat seems reluctant to climbing the tree. "No, Jade. It's not safe out in the open. I would much prefer to go back to the cave"

"We wouldn't be out in the open, we would be up in a tree" I say. And then I let out a sigh, I would prefer the tree; Sure the cave is closer to water but we would just have to leave it early in the morning to go hunting so what's the point in going back. I know that Cat doesn't ask of much, and had it not been for her, I wouldn't have eaten any rabbit today and I would most likely be dead from eating nightlock, plus if the roles were reversed Cat would go back to the cave for me.

It's then that I realise I haven't been as nice to Cat as I could have been, I yelled at her because of the rabbit. The playful relationship Cat and I created seems to have disappeared to nothingness today. I don't like that, and I don't even want to think about how the audience feels about this, I don't want them to start thinking everything they have seen from the two of us has been fake.

I dip my head and down and kiss Cat, I can feel her smile behind it I sigh "Fine, we can go back to the cave tonight" I say.

She moves her eyes to meet mine "That was easier than I thought it would be" she says with a smile on her lips. We douse the fire, leaving only small amounts of smoke dancing around the air. I assume that Ryder will think nothing of this at this moment in time. We set off walking at a steady pace; we need to find our way back to the cave before it becomes too dark.

The sun is dipping in the horizon, and the sky has a pink shade mixed in with the light blue evening sky, the wind has picked up slightly, so I guess staying in the cave won't be such a bad thing, it will be warmer there than it would have been in any tree. And while we are here the cave is the closest thing we have to a home. We get back to our lake just by the cave and replenish our water; we climb the small slope to our cave and trudge inside its stone walls.

The days of inactivity have made today harder, the hunt and the trek back to the cave have taken their toll on me, though Cat seemed fine all day, I can now see how tired she is. We eat more of the rabbit and I struggle to keep my eyes open, I can see Cat's head nodding as she tries to stay awake. I order her into the sleeping bag. She drops off almost instantly; I pull the sleeping bag up to her chin and lay a light kiss on her lips. I am thankful with every fibre of my being that Cat is okay and alive, and that she has pretty much been here with me since the start of the games, and I am glad that I don't have to face Ryder alone.

Ryder who can snap at the drop of a hat, who had the power and above all the nerve to kill Beck, who has had it out for me since the start of the games all because of my score and relationship with Cat. I have a feeling that a guy like Beck wouldn't have minded that Cat and I scored higher than him, and I know that he didn't mind that Cat was with me, he just wanted her to be safe. But I have a feeling that all these little things have driven Ryder insane.

Which isn't hard, I remember how short a temper he had when he found the supplies had been blown up, sure the others had been sad, but none of them reacted the way he did.

The seal lights up the sky and then I see the girl from ten's face flash into the sky before she vanish forever, I haven't said it nor do I think I ever will but, I do feel bad about her death, well I feel bad about everyone who I have killed in this contest. Although I will not miss the girl (I didn't know her to miss her) but I do admire her. It is plain to see whether I like to admit it or not, she was clearly he smartest out of us all.

And if Cat and I had been setting a trap for her she would have sensed it, but it was my own ignorance that killed her. I have spent far too much time focusing on Ryder and not underestimating anything that, I guess I overestimated some things too.

I think of the way she operated and who she was, but Ryder is much harder to read than that, he is stronger and much more slippery, but I doubt that he has half of the brains that she had. I mean Ryder could easily lose his cool in a fit of temper, not that I can say anything about anyone on that front; I'm not exactly the calmest person in the world. Just remembering the moment I threw the knife towards the game makers in the training centre is proof enough of how my anger can quickly escalate.

Maybe Ryder and I are more alike than I care to think. Despite the ache in my bones from the tiredness my mind is far to occupied to sleep, so I allow Cat to sleep longer than usual. In fact it's another day before I shake Cat's shoulder waking her.

She opens her eyes slowly and then they widen with shock as she sees the soft grey sky of the morning "Jade, why'd you let me sleep so long?" she starts "That's not fair you should have woken me up"

I shake my head "No, it's fine besides I'll sleep now" I say crawling over to the sleeping bag and slip in "Just wake me if anything interesting happens". And apparently nothing interesting has happened, because when I wake up, I find myself in a hot summer's afternoon. "Any sign of our boy?" I ask jokingly as I sit up in the sleeping bag.

She shakes her head "No, I think he is laying low"

"How long do you think it will be before the Game makers drive us together?" I ask.

"Well, the girl from ten died almost a day ago, so that's more than enough time for people to bet on who they think will win and to get bored again so" she says with a shrug.

I nod knowing where she was going with this statement "Yeah, I have a feeling about today too" I sigh "How do you think they'll do it?" I ask. She remains silent, what more is there to do but wait? "Well" I say, "I guess there is no point in wasting valuable hunting time right?" even though we have food, we need something to do, and if we do things like this, it might make people bet on us more to win, because it shows we won't give in, that's what the people want in a victor a fighter, well they have two with Cat and I.

"Yeah" she agrees "We should probably eat as much as we can just in case anything happens" Cat and I eat as much food as we possibly can. After that we pack away our gear, the only bit of food we haven't touched is the apple. My hands are greasy. This adds to the feeling of grubbiness, we may not shower or bathe daily in the Seam, but we keep cleaner than I have been.

Leaving the cave makes everything seem real, and makes me realise how close to leaving this place Cat and I are, we may not win, but I know I will never spend another night in this arena. Cat and I head down to the lake hoping to be able to bathe, and maybe even give our clothes a quick wash, but when we get to our lake, we are greeted with nothing more than a dry ditch.

I press my hand against the mud "It's not even damp" I say "They must have drained it while we were sleeping" I shrug, trying to show calmness, but on the inside panic has woven its way into my body, as the thought of the dry tongue, aching body and dizziness are thrust into my mind. I remember how close I was to dying before Cat found me, before she gave me water and food, and I remember how scary it was feeling death creep up on you.

Our bottles are almost full, but there are two of us, and in this heat it won't take long to drain every drop from them. "They want us to go to the lake" Cat says "That's their plan, that's how they are going to get us together"

I shake my head "Maybe some of the ponds still have water in them" I say this hopefully, all though I know that's all it is, wishful thinking. I know that they will have drained every water source they can; I know that Cat is right; I know that we have to make our way to the lake.

"We can check" she shrugs. I know she is saying this for my benefit, when we get to the dry dirt where the pond used to sit, what we already knew has been confirmed.

"You're right" I say "They want us to go to the lake" they want us to go where there is no concealment, where they know that if there is a fight, they will see everything.

"Shall we go now or do you want to wait until our water has gone?" asks Cat

"Let's go now" I say, "We have eaten and we have rested, let's go and end this thing" I say. It's funny, it's like it's the first day of the games all over again, the only difference being that Cat is with me. I feel as if I am in the same position as I was then though. Twenty-one tributes are dead, yet I have still to kill Ryder, and wasn't he always the one to kill?

Now it's like all the other tributes were just minor obstacles sent in by the game makers, distractions to keep me from the real battle of these games me and Ryder. But then I feel Cat's arms wrap around me "Two against one" she says softly "Should be a piece of cake"

I smile, I can't help myself from doing this small notion, thinking that soon Cat and I could be free from the public eye- well for a little while at least. And then I think about getting out of here and living happy lives. "The next time we eat" I say "It will be in the capitol"

"You bet it will" we stand for a while locked in an embrace, and then I place a light kiss on Cat's mouth, she kisses back and smiles beneath it, it has been a while since we had this, since Beck died nothing has felt the same, everything was either broken, or half hearted, or just a small kiss like last night, but this, this is the kiss I am used to this is the kiss that I long for.

And then just like that, we break apart and head for the lake, though we never fully let go of each other I hold her hand in mine, our fingers entwined, we hold onto each other tightly, neither one of us wanting to let go of the other.

We stop momentarily under the tree where the careers had us trapped, all that remains of the tracker jacker nest is a beaten down pulp. This confirms our location, I tap it lightly with the toe of my boot, and it dissolves and blows away in the wind. I look up to the tree where Cat and I slept that night. And then my mind swims with the horrific vivid memories.

Tara's swollen body- I still can't believe how contorted it looked, this doesn't bother me like it should, it didn't even bother me then I found it fascinating. It's the hallucinations that bother me, it all becomes too much "Let's move on" I say. Cat doesn't object, she too will remember the attack, though she didn't suffer the way I did.

Because of our late start we get to the cornucopia by early evening, and just to make sure that Ryder isn't pulling a move like the girl from ten we circle it to make sure it's empty.

And then, as if we are following orders we cross to the lake, and fill our bottles. I scowl at the sinking sun "I don't want to fight Ruder after dark" I say the thought out loud. Cat squeezes drops of iodine into the water.

"I think that's what he is hoping for" she says "What do you want to? Do go back to the cave?" she asks

"That or find a tree" I say I sigh "We will leave it just a little longer, and then we will take cover"

We sit out in the open, there is no point in hiding anymore, I look up into the trees, and I can see the mockingjays weaving in and out of their nests. I open my mouth and sing out the tune that Cat taught me all those days ago. I can feel the birds pause. I sing out again into the silence, and at first it's only one bird that sings out to me, and then the arena comes to life with the sound of the mockingjays singing back to me.

"You really do have a beautiful voice" says Cat quietly.

My hand reaches for my pin "Thanks" I say, when I sing, it always reminds me of my dad, and sometimes the memories and thoughts that come with it are happy, but then other times I am plagued with the pain and sadness of the day he walked out on us.

Cat and I listen for a while, to the melodious sound coming from the birds as the notes overlap each other weaving themselves into an intricate song. I close my eyes mesmerised by the song, I wonder, though I never ask, if Cat had known this is the sound that would come from the birds the first day she sang out the tune, none of this seems to affect her the way it does me, she just sits with a light smile on her face.

Then the music changes the birds no longer sing in perfect harmony, their song has turned into shrill shrieks of pain and fear. Cat and I dive up to our feet, I am ready with my knife and Cat is poised to shoot.

That's when Ryder crashes through the bushes and bears down on us; he has no sword or any other weapon with him. Yet he runs straight towards us. Cat fires an arrow at his chest, only to see it bounce off and fall to the floor.

"He's wearing some kind of body armour!" I yell at Cat. And then he is upon us, I brace myself for what is coming next, but he shoots between us, with no attempt to hurt us. I can tell from his panting and the sweat that drips off his purple face that he has been running for a while.

He hasn't been running towards us, he has been running from something, what that is I don't know. My eyes scan the woods, just in time to see the first creature leap onto the plain. As Cat and I turn away I see another half-dozen join it. And then I push Cat up, making her stumble after Ryder, I have no other thought than to save her.

_**A/N: **__Sorry about the late update but I have been really busy with doing assignments for co__llege, anyway I hope you like this chapter, and thanks once again to anyone who has commented to so far I really do __appreciate__ it. __P__lease continue to read and review it means the world to me__ I really do appreciate all comments and opinions (good or bad) _


	20. Chapter 20

**20**

There is no questioning in what these creatures are; it is plain to see that they are mutations created by the capitol. They look like huge wolves, but looks can be deceiving because what wolf, can jump and land and then balance easily on its hind legs?

What wolf has the knowledge or ability to wave the rest of the pack forward, the wolf beckons the rest of them forward almost like it has wrists. And these things I can see at a distance, I hate to think of how menacing they look up close.

I can see that Cat is far ahead of me now, I start to run, but I am under no illusion of how fast these mutts are, Ryder has made a beeline straight for the cornucopia, and if Cat has any sense she will follow him, I know that's where I am heading. "Jade!" she screams as she turns to find me, I can hear the desperation and panic in her voice as she calls out to me.

"Cat, go!" I reply, my voice taking the same tone of fear as hers, she scuttles up the metal of the cornucopia as fast as she can, but in this heat I know that the metal will be hot to touch. I can see that at the top of the cornucopia, Ryder, lays gagging over to edge of it. I can see that Cat, sees this as an opportunity to take him down. I reach the tail of the cornucopia, and the mutts are hot on my heels.

"Climb!" Cat calls down to me, she shoots at one of the mutts, and it drops to the floor, although she may have killed one, there are plenty more willing to takes its place. I am burdened by my knife, luckily Cat is on standby too shoot at any of the large animals. She shoots the first mutt that places its claws on the metal, opening a huge gash on its throat, as it dies; it lashes out and attacks many of the others around it. It's only now that I get a proper look at their claws. They are razor sharp and almost ten centimetres long.

Cat helps me up onto the cornucopia that's when I remember that Ryder sit's mere meters away from us, he is doubled over in cramps, and seems to be more bothered by the mutts then we are. He splutters something. "What!" Cat shouts over to him.

"He wants to know if they can climb" I say, and that is answered only a short while after the words have left my mouth. All of the mutts begin to assemble on the floor, they stick their snouts inside the metal of the cornucopia, sniffing and tasting the area. And then they stand on their back legs, and a cold shiver runs down my spine. These creatures unsettle me, their size, and their ability to walk on their hind legs, there is something else about them though, something I can quite put my finger on.

One of the mutts and a decent sized one too, jumps onto the cornucopia, landing just three meters below us. The other mutts assemble on the floor, all of them have a wide range of fur, some have sleek and smooth hair, while others have coarse and wiry hair, and they have a wide range of colours, from the darkest of blacks, to what can only be describe as ginger and blonde. This mutt has jet black hair.

This mutt must have powerful legs, it snarls at us, its lips pulling over its teeth. For a moment, nothing moves, everything seems to be at a standstill, it is in this moment, that I realise what else about these creatures makes me uneasy, their eyes, are unlike any other dogs, or wolf's or any canine for that matter, these eyes resemble the eyes of a human, and then I notice, a number on the dog, the number _4. _And then something clicks, the jet black hair, the dark brown eyes, the number, this dog is Andre. A strangled shriek escapes my lips, I hold a knife in my hand ready to fire, but I was far to occupied in seeing if the mutts could climb or not.

The mutt has now started to fall its claws dragging down the metal, making a nails on a black board type of sound, it makes my bones ache. I throw a knife and watch as it pierces its throat. Its body twitches and then goes rigid, as it falls to the floor with a heavy thud.

"Jade!" I can feel Cat's light grip on my wrist.

"That's him" I choke.

"Who?" Cat asks. My eyes travel over the pack of mutts situated on the ground, I take in all of their faces, each of them a different size and colour, Tara the blonde girl from two, the small red haired boy from ten who died grappling for the back pack with me, but the eyes that stick out most to me, are those the belong to Beck and Robbie, both the wolves, each a decent size, with black hair, one sleek and smooth the other coarse, they stair up at us, and I see nothing but hatred in their eyes.

"It's them" I say. "It's all of them look" I grab her and pull her close so she can see the rest of the mutts I point at them as I call on them "The girl from ten, the boy from five. There's Robbie" I say, I pause before I point to the next mutt "And that's Beck" I say, my voice grows softer as I say his name.

Cat gasps as she recognises the faces of the other tributes who circle the floor beneath us. "Do you think that those are they're real eyes?" she asks, in an innocent tone; trust her to focus on their eyes.

"Their eyes Cat, really, that's the big picture" I say sarcastically, I know this is no time for my attitude but I can't help myself "What about their brains" I say. "Do they remember anything, or have they been completely brain washed, do they know who we are, or I the only thing on their minds killing us?" I ask.

Cat stays silent, and looks down once again, at the faces that glare up at us; waiting for one of us to slip into their midst's so they can attack us. And then I see them, planning their next attack, the mutts have split off into two separate groups and are now on either side of the cornucopia. They use their hind legs to jump towards us. That's when I feel the pull. Something grabs onto me, and is pulling me off the metal structure. Cat gets dragged along with me, but somehow she stays standing.

I scream jerks out of me, as I feel the teeth of the mutt tear into my leg. It's like no other pain I have ever felt, it's an intense pain that has spread through my body, making all my nerves and bones ache. I can feel the mutt's teeth grinding on my bones as they go further into my shin.

"Kill it, Cat!" I scream. "Kill it" and she must, because I feel the pull lessen substantially. She drags me back up to my feet, and the pair of us make our way to the top of the cornucopia where the lesser of two evils awaits us, I limp along with Cat, my leg suddenly feels numb, it appears that the shock of what has happened has found its way into my body. Ryder is still not standing, but his breathing has slowed, and his complexion is back to normal.

I am ready to throw my knife at him, but when I release it, it takes out a mutt, that has to be Jareth, who else could have jumped that high?

I feel a beat of relief as I realise we are out of the mutts reach, as I turn to face Cat, I am yanked from her side. And I know what is happening, Ryder has got me, Ryder is finally getting his wish to kill me. He holds me in a tight neck hold, cutting off my air, making it hard for me to swallow and call out to Cat.

I scratch his arm the best I can, but my only weapon is my nails, I can't reach any more of my knives. I know my attempt to injure him is a weak one, but it's all I have. I can see the panic in Cat's face as she aims two arrows towards Ryder's head.

She knows as well as I do, that the arrows won't affect his body, or limbs, I can see flesh coloured body armour stretched tightly around his limbs, this must have been what was in his pack. His sponsors sent him this to protect him from my knives and Cat's arrows, but the sent nothing for his face.

He laughs loudly, his face just inches away from mine "You shoot me" he says still a little breathless from keeping a hold on me as I struggle against him "And she goes down with me"

He's right, If Cat shoots him, she will kill me too, both of us will plummet too our deaths, falling to the mutts. It seems we are in a stalemate. Cat can't kill Ryder without killing me, but Ryder can't kill me without dying himself, the three of us knows this, and the three of us stand still like statues.

I can feel tears burning my eyes, and Ryder's grip on me tightens. Cat stands rigid with her jaw tensed. If Cat doesn't do something soon I will die anyway. I don't know how much longer I will be able to take the strain on my windpipe as he crushes it with his arm. If I die, Ryder will most likely use my body as a shield anyway.

Though Ryder has stopped laughing I have a feeling that his face is laced with a sick smile, it ripples through his body. "So what's it going to be Cat?" he asks. "The two of you or us?" Cat looks down confused, as he works his way into her mind.

"Come on Cat think about it" he says, his tone turning soft like satin as he tries to win her over "The victor should be from a high class district, that's the way it should be" he says, I can't believe he is turning this into a matter of class. "I know what I would do" he says. "We should win Cat, the two of us" he pulls at me, tightening his grip once more, his arms is wrapped around my neck, like a boa constrictor trying to kill it's pray.

I know his game if Cat kills me he will in turn kill her, the only thing on his mind is winning, and he wants to do that alone, he wants to be a sole survivor. I reach down to my leg where blood oozes from the wound the mutts teeth left in my shin. I bring back my hand that is now dripping with blood and draw and 'X' on Ryder's hand.

He realises what this means one second after Cat does, I know he realises because his grip on me loosens, but by that time it's too late. Cat has already sent an arrow into his hand. He lets go of me with a cry of pain, and loses his footings on the metal that is now slick with blood. I feel I am going to fall too, until Cat reaches out for me and pulls me back.

Cat and I hear him hit the ground with a thud as all of their air is knocked out of him, we hear the mutts make their attack, and the two of us, keep a tight hold on each other, waiting for this to end, waiting for the cannon to fire, telling us the game is over and we can go, but nothing happens because this is the final showdown, and that I exactly what people expect to see, a show.

I stand and listen to the snaps of teeth, and the howls of pain from both Ryder and the mutts, I can't understand how he is surviving any of this until I remember the armour that protects him from his ankles to his neck. Ryder must have some kind of weapon on him because every now and again, we can hear the sound of the mutts dying and the clang of metal on metal.

I know that he is trying to make his way back to the cornucopia to join Cat and I, despite his skills, he is still out numbered. I can't tell how long it has been since Ryder plummeted to the ground, all I know is that I can hear the sound of the mutts dragging him away. "Now they've got him" I mutter to Cat "Now they'll finish him off" I sit and wait for a while, but there is still no cannon.

Night captivates the arena, and the seal shines out into the sky above Cat and I but, Ryder's face is nowhere to be seen, meaning he is still alive. I can hear the faint moans of pain coming through the metal beneath us. The games are not yet over, and I don't know how long it will be until they are. There is still no guarantee or Victory for us.

The arena has turned icy, and the metal of the cornucopia that burned my skins earlier as I climbed it, now freezes you to the bone. Cat looks down to my leg, which is now slick with hot sticky blood. All of our supplies are by the lake where we left them as we ran away from the mutts, meaning we have no first aid kit. Cat pauses for a moment as she thinks of something to do, and then despite the cold, she is unzipping her jacket. She removes her top and a shiver jerks out of her body. She pulls on the jacket quickly and zips it up.

Just that short amount of exposure has been enough to make goose bumps appear on her skin; her lips are already starting to turn a slightly blue shade. She makes me lay down before she pokes at my wound. She cuts a sleeve off of her top and begins to tie a tourniquet around my shin. She uses one of her arrows to keep the knot held in place; she ties it as tight as she possibly can.

I know this is risky, by the looks of things I could end up losing my leg- it doesn't take a genius to figure that one out, just one look at the garish wound tells you this. But when I think about it I could also lose my life, so when you weigh the two of them up together, what alternative is there, she then ties a bandage around my leg with the rest of her shirt, before she lies down with me.

"Don't go to sleep" she says, and a fog of breath escapes her mouth as she talks. In all honesty I don't want to sleep; there is no saying if I will wake up again.

"Are you cold?" I ask her, studying her face. I unzip my jacket and she presses against me. I zip my jacket up again, enclosing both of us. It is warmer sharing our body heat, but the night is fresh and young, and I can tell that it will only get colder.

"Ryder might win yet" Cat says quietly. She rests her head in the crook of my neck for a second and then moves it away again, she looks me directly in the eyes, and all I see when I look into hers is fear.

I shake my head "Don't count on it" I pull up her hood, but I am shaking more than she is. The next hours are the worst I have ever known, which is saying something. If the cold wasn't enough I also have to endure the sound of Ryder's cries as the mutts slowly tare away at him. After a while, I don't care who he is, or what he has done I just want his suffering to end, no one should have to go through that.

"Why don't they just kill him?" Cat whimpers. I can see tears threatening to spill out of her eyes.

"You know why" I say quietly. I pull her closer to me, it's horrible but this will be the most entertainment that the audience has had since the games began. No one will be able to switch over from this. To the game makers this will be the epitome of entertainment. It goes on and on, and all I can think about it how this will never go away, this will be continuous, there is nothing good in this world, and only bad things happen, eventually everything turns sour, in this cold harsh world where we live.

I keep dozing off but every time I do, Cat gives me a quick nudge to keep me awake. And I thank her for that. I can't die on Cat not now, nor can she die on me, if this girl dies, I think eventually it would kill me too. I am fighting as hard as I can to pull through, for me and for Cat. Probably more for her sake than mine, she isn't the strongest in mind anyway and something like that could quite easily tip her over the edge, I think it is only by luck that she hasn't already gone insane, but from the noises coming from Ryder, it could still happen.

The only indignation of the passing time is the moon sweeping slowly across the dark sky; Cat keeps pointing it out to me, trying to keep me awake. And watching it gives me little flickers of hope, that is before the darkness and sound or Ryder's agonising screams engulf me again.

And then I am whispering in Cat's ear that it's morning, she opens her eyes hazily, and looks up at the grey sky, the stars fading out of it slowly. Still no cannon has fired meaning Ryder is still alive. I press my ear against the metal, I can still hear him moving "I think he's closer now" I say quietly. "Do you think you could shoot him?"

Cat nods knowing it is the best thing for him, leaving him to die slowly would only make us as bad as the game makers and residents of the capitol, and I refuse to become like them. "Yeah" she says quietly "I can try at least" she says.

I free her from my jacket and she crawls to the edge of the cornucopia. She reaches for my hand for support, it takes her a while to find Ryder, but once she does she loads her bow and aims towards him. I keep my ear pressed to the metal, and I swear I can hear him say "please"

It's pity that sends Cat's arrow flying towards him. I pull her back up, her bow is empty but she still has a few arrows left in her quiver. "Did you do it?" I ask "Did you get him?" the sound of the cannon answers my question. "Cat, we won!" I say. "We did it we won"

"Yay for us" she says, but there is no happiness in her voice. The ground opens up and as if on cue the remaining mutts dive into it. Cat and I wait for the hovercraft to take the remains of Ryder back to District 2, we wait for the sound of the fanfare trumpets symbolising our victory, but nothing happens

"What's going on?" I scream up to the sky. The only response is the tweets of the birds.

"Maybe we have to move away from the body" Cat says with a small shrug.

I try to think, do you usually have to distance yourself from the body after the final kill? But my brain is too muddled to comprehend anything at this moment in time. "Yeah, we can try" I say "Help me back to the lake?" I say it's more of a question than anything.

"Sure" Cat says. Cat and I inch down the cornucopia; I struggle with every move that I make, it sends sharp pains up and down my leg. But somehow Cat and I make it to the lake; she takes a hand full of water and brings it to her lips. There is a low whistle that emits from one of the mockingjays and tears of joy fill my eyes.

The hover craft has removed Ryder's body from the arena, now we can go home, they can take us. But still there is no response. "What are they waiting for?" asks Cat, she arches one of her eyebrows and pouts slightly.

I shrug "I don't know" I feel dizzy from the blood loss, though the tourniquet has helped with the blood flow, I can still feel it trickling slowly from the wound. Then Bertram Sisman's voice booms out over the arena

"Greetings to the finalists of the seventy-fourth annual hunger games, unfortunately the former rule change has been revoked; it seems that under closer speculations and examinations, there can in fact be only one winner. Good luck and may the odds be ever in your favour"

I can feel the rage building up inside me, I feel anger, hatred and sadness all at once. The game makers were clever with this one, they never intended to let Cat and I win. They did this to make sure they would have the most memorable and dramatic final show down ever, and like fools Cat and I allowed ourselves to believe we could both live through this.

"When you think about it" she says softly "It's not really that surprising is it?"

I stand to my feet shakily, and reach for my knife, within seconds Cat's arrow is aimed at my heart. I look at her confused as I send my knife flying into the lake beside us. She lowers her bow and arrow and looks down, her face glows red with what I can only imagine to be shame.

I shrug "No, Cat. It- it's fine honestly do it" I say, I can feel myself swaying.

"No" she says "I can't do it. I won't do it"

"Cat just do it before they send the mutts back in, I am not dying like Ryder did" I say.

She shakes her head still "No, you should win. District 12 deserves it. You deserve it" "So shoot me" she says, she thrusts her bow and arrow into my hands "Just do it"

"I can't" I say "And you know that" I sit down on the floor "Whatever I'll go first anyway" I say, I start to cut away at the bandage on my leg, using my last knife to do so.

"No!" she screams. "You can't kill yourself" she drops to her knees and wraps the bandage back around my leg.

"Cat it's what I want" I say, and truthfully, I would rather die than live without Cat.

"No, Jade" she says, tears forming in her eyes "You can't leave me her alone" it's at this that I start to cry, and I can't control the tears that spill from my eyes.

"Look" I say lifting her to her feet as I stand "They have to have a winner right, so go ahead and do it. For me" I say.

Cat looks up at me. And then dives to one of the bags, she fumbles around in it, until she finds the make shift pouch we made from leaves, and I know what she has in mind. I grab hold of her wrist "No!" I say, I try to keep my voice stern, but tears are falling down my face.

"Trust me" she says, her voice only a whisper, we hold each-others gaze for a while and then she opens the pouch pouring the nightlock berries in to my palm, and then she pours some into hers. "On three?" she says.

I nod "On three" we kiss each other one last time. We turn away from each other and stand with our backs pressed against one an others I grab hold of her free hand with mine, and give it one last squeeze before I turn my attention to the sun. "Hold them out" she says "Show them, I want them all to see this"

I hold out my hand, and the dark berries roll slowly on my palm shining a deep red in the sunlight. "One" we begin counting together. What if Cat's wrong, what if this won't work what if they don't care about us living or dying "Two, three" the berries have just reached my lips when the trumpets blare out around the arena.

And the panic stricken voice of Bertram Sisman bellows above them "Stop! Stop!" he calls "Ladies and Gentlemen, I am pleased to present to you, the victors of the seventy-fourth annual hunger games Jadelyn West from and Caterina Valentine- The tributes from District 1 and District 12"

_**A/N:**__ I hope you like this chapter, I don't really know what more to say other than that. Please read and review as you have been doing- I love knowing what you think. Thanks to everyone who has reviewed so far I really appreciate it. _

_P.S: The next chapter will be uploaded very soon, probably within the next few days. _


	21. Chapter 21

**21**

I spew the berries into my hand and drop them on the floor I wipe my tongue with the sleeve of my shirt trying to remove any remaining juice. Cat drags me to the lake where we both rinse out our mouths. We fall into each-other's arms.

"Did you swallow any?" She asks franticly.

I shake my head "No, did you?"

"I would be dead if I had" she says.

I begin to reply, but there is no possible way I can be heard over the sound of the audience they are playing live into the arena. A hovercraft materializes, and a ladder drops. There is no way I am letting go of Cat, nor is she willing to let go of me.

We step onto a rung of the ladder and the electric current freezes us, which I am happy about, I don't know if I could keep myself held up for a long amount of time. My eyes are facing down, and though Cat and I are immobile there is nothing stopping the blood flowing from my leg. The minutes the doors close I slump to the floor, feeling dizzy. Agony rips through my body, and tears begin to form in my eyes.

Cat's hand grips onto me tightly; she falls to the floor next to me, and grabs hold of my hand. The room becomes full of doctors all prepped to operate on me. They lay me on a silver table, and I begin to panic, I can see the same sense of panic spread out through Cat's face. She lunges for me but is stopped by residents of the capitol. They close us off from each other by a glass door. I can hear her screams through the glass, as the doctors begin to slowly inject the sedative into my arm. The last things I can remember are the sounds of Cat screams becoming fainter as a resident of the capitol pulls her away, and then I sink into blackness.

I wake up, and the first person I see is Bernadette. I lay in a bed with crisp white sheets pulled tightly over my body- which I see has been cleaned thoroughly, what appears to be a cage around my legs, holding the cover off of the bottom half of my body. She hands me a drink and I can't resist it. The familiar taste of peach fills my mouth. I drain the glass within seconds, and then she is handing me a spoon.

"I Cat okay?" I ask. My memories are hazy; all I can remember are her screams. Bernadette nods, and smiles

"She's fine" she says "And I'm glad to see you are too"

And there's the pressure or friendship. I guess she did like me more than I had thought. "Why, is there a cage around my legs?" I ask, dread filling my voice.

"You had some surgery on them; the 'cage' as you put it is there to stop the cover pressing on your legs. You had to have some metal plate's inserted the bone was severely damaged" she explains

The news comes as a shock, but it could have been worse, I could have quite easily lost my leg, not only that but I could have lost my life "So my leg is fake?" I ask confused.

"No" she starts "Not entirely, your leg is still real, and you do still have a bone in there but some of it had to be replaced" she sighs "I'll leave you to get some more rest and to eat" her voice grows softer as she speaks "Bye, Jade"

She leaves the room without another word leaving me alone, with the news, running round my head. I look down at my meal; all I have is a bowl of broth and a slice of bread. I probably should be more thankful, it's better than nothing; at least I am still alive.

But I would have thought that my first meal would be better than this, I begin to eat my sparse meal, but I find myself struggling. My stomach seems to have shrunk three sizes since the last morning in the arena.

I sit and think about my life now and how there is usually a lag of a few days from the end of the competition to the presentation, this gives the capitol time to clean up the bloody pulp of the victor. I think of how Harley will be working on something for me to wear and how Euphemia will be doing the same for Cat.

Our mentors will be arranging a huge feast for sponsors, and our home districts will be readying themselves for our arrivals. I think of the chaos that District 12 will be in, the last time we had a winner was almost twenty years ago, maybe more, but District 1 will know exactly what they are doing.

_Home_ I think. Taylor, my mum, our small house, I smile at the littlest thing when thinking about 12. I just want to be home. But more than anything, I want to get out of this bed and see Cat. I want to see Erwin, and Harley. And why shouldn't I, I feel fine.

I make myself stand, but my leg gives way, I am still far too weak to walk on it and then I feel the cold slow trickle of a liquid slithering its way into my veins. I feel dizzy and then I pass out, this seems to keep happening, as I try to move, even if I go from sitting to lying down or vice versa, it always results in me being unconscious. All I know is; I haven't seen anyone since Bernadette was in my room, when I first woke up.

But I can hear voices, mainly male voices, and it's a familiar voice. It gives me hope that someone is looking out for me. And then a time comes where I wake up and there is nothing plugged into me, no liquids are being pumped into me and I can move freely without passing out.

All my scars seemed to have gone, there is no mark on my head, and the burn from my hip has gone too, the only thing left to remind me of my time in the arena is a new scar, one that runs so far down my shin- and even though I have had metal plates put in my leg, the scar could be worse- it's pale, thick and shiny. It's not very noticeable against my skin tone, and to anyone who has only just met me, they will most likely see nothing. But I know it's there, and in a strange way. I kind of like it.

I climb from my bed, steadily not knowing how much wait my legs can take, but once I am stood up, I feel fine, my left leg is still slightly weak, and can't take as much pressure as the right one, I think I can manage. Lying at the foot of my bed is an outfit, one that makes me feel ill. It's the same outfit all the tributes wore in the arena, I want badly to burn it and to never see it again, but then I remember, this is what I will wear to great my team.

I dress in less than a minute and I limp through the well concealed door as it opens. I look around and see the other doors, and I know that Cat is behind one of them, and I know she is okay, Bernadette said she was and why would she lie to me?

"Cat" I call, I want so badly to see her for myself. I hear a voice in return, but it's not her voice, it's a man's voice, one that strikes up happiness inside me. Harley.

I turn and they all wait for me in a huge room at the end of the hall, Erwin, Bernadette and Harley. I run to them as best I can. Maybe a victor should show more strength and reservation, but I can't hold myself back, even if I am on tape.

I run for them, and I am surprised that I jump into Erwin's arms first. And the he whispers in my ear "I am so proud of you, Jade. Good job" and he sounds genuine and more stable than I have ever heard him.

Even though Bernadette saw me just days ago, she has tears in her eyes, and she keeps patting me on the back, and saying how proud she is of me. Harley hugs me, and he like Erwin whispers in my ear, "You truly are amazing Jadelyn West"

I look around, noticing a few faces I don't know; these must be members of Cat's team. There is a woman, with bright green hair, that is now curly, I remember seeing her face on the re-cap of the reaping, and then there is a young woman with blonde hair that comes just below her jaw line, who I would say is no more than twenty five, who sits chewing on her finger nervously, this woman must be Cat's mentor.

"Where's Cat" I say "I need to see her" and it's true, I don't want to see her I need to, because I need to know that she is okay.

"She's fine" says the young woman, her voice is soft, "They just want to do you're reunion live on air at the ceremony" she says. "She's with Euphemia"

"Oh" I say "Yeah, I guess I would want to see that too" I say. We stay in silence for a while, until Erwin's booming voice spreads through the room.

"Go with Harley and get ready" he says.

It feels nice to be alone with Harley, I feel out of everyone he always understood me the most, and it feels nice to have his arm around my shoulder as he leads me away from the cameras. He leads me to a lift that takes us to the training centre. The hospital must be far underground, it goes below where we had our training when we were tying knots, ad throwing knives or shooting arrows.

When the lift doors open, my entire style team engulfs me and takes me away. They place me in a dining room where I finally get my feast, meats, soups, bread rolls topped with cheese, although my portions are still being monitored. When I ask for more, I am refused.

Apparently, they don't want me to throw it all back up while I am on stage, I can't really blame them for that. We leave the dining room and Harley slips away as the rest of my team preps me. "They did a good job on cleaning you up" Says a tall slender woman, with pink hair.

I look at my half naked body in the mirror, pleased that I still have all my limbs- whether they are fully natural or not, to me it's an achievement. I notice though how thin I have grown, I know I will have been thinner when I first left the arena, but still I can see my ribs jutting out of my skin, the same can be said for my collar bone and hips.

They take care of the shower settings for me, and go to work on my hair and make-up. They don't really ask me any questions; they talk freely about the games, meaning I don't have to reply to them, which is good for me. They talk about how they felt, or where they were or what they were doing at certain points of the games, things like "I had just woken up" "I had just had a tattoo done" and "I swear I almost fainted"

I grit my teeth through their conversation; everything is about them, and not the tributes that lost their lives. Though I find it hard, I block out most of their conversation, to save myself from saying anything offensive.

Harley walks into the room with what looks like a yellow dress draped over his arms. I screw my nose up at the colour choice, but when did I ever get my say in what I wore during these games? "No more flames?" I ask with a smirk on my lips.

"What do you think?" he asks in a soft tone. He slips the dress over my head immediately I notice the fitting, the dress has been designed to add more wait to my waist since I lost it all, I look down at myself and I almost look like me again. The dress has been made to give me the figure I had prior to the games.

He smiles at me "Beautiful" he says quietly, I turn to look at myself in the mirror but he stops me "Wait" he says, he hands me a pair of flat black shoes. Another member of my prep team helps me into them. I can see he has kept to the theme of fire.

The fabric of the dress glows softly, and slight movements of the air around me, sends ripples up my body. In comparison, the chariot costume now seems tasteless and the interview dress too contrived. But this dress, gives the illusion that I am burning in a soft candle light. "What do you think?" asks Harley.

"Well" I say "Despite the colour. It's my favourite" When I can pull my eyes away from the dress, I look into the mirror and I am a little surprised. My face has a soft layer of makeup, just to accentuate my features. My hair hangs down in curls, with a head band pulling back some loose strands.

I have a clear nail polish over my nails. The dress comes to just above my knees. Without any heels on you can see my stance and my stature. I look very simple, and very young. Dressed like this I could pass for fourteen, I look sweet and innocent. I find it shocking they have managed to pull this off given I have just won the games. I look at Harley, questioning his motives in dressing me like this.

"I thought I would look more sophisticated" I say with a small shrug, not that I am not happy with what they have done, because I am. I just never pictured myself looking like this.

"Yeah, but we all spoke about it, and people thought Cat would like this better" he says with a smile.

Cat? They had Cat in mind while doing all of this, while I am pleased about this, I can't help but feel unsure. I always thought they would care more about the game makers and the capitol and the audience. The look on his face tells me something.

There is a hint of warning in his eyes, he is hiding something he can't even tell the rest of his team. I know now that this dress is a reminder that the games are not yet over.

We take the lift to the level where we had our training. It is routine for the victor to rise from the ground along with his or hers support team. First the prep team, then the escort, then the mentor, then the stylist and then the victor. Because there are two victors this year, from different districts, everyone will go out in twos.

I stand in a poorly lit room under the stage. A new metal plate has been installed to take me up. I can still smell the sawdust and the paint. My prep team leaves me so they can get ready. To my left there is a make shift wall, and I can only assume that Cat stands behind it, waiting as I am to make our entrance.

The noise from the audience is so loud, I don't notice Erwin until he is stood next to me I jump away startled half of me is still in the arena, I guess. "It's just me" he says in a calming voice "Let's take a look at you"

I turn slowly so he can see every part of the dress. He nods in approval before speaking "Very nice" he says, in the same calming tone as before. He must remember what it's like to be stood here waiting to make your appearance. "How about a hug for luck?" he says.

I shrug, and hug him smiling, but as my arms weave their way around his neck he pulls me into him, locking me against his body in a tight embrace. "Listen, Jade" he begins to talk quietly, the words flowing out of him in a quick pace "You are in big trouble. Rumour has it that the capitol is furious with what you and Cat did. You showed them up in the arena, and the one thing they can't stand is people laughing at them. You have made them the laughing stock of Panem"

I feel panic rush through my body, but all I can do is laugh, as if nothing Erwin said has concerned me "So, what?" I ask with a shrug.

"So they only thing you can say is that you were both so madly in love that you can't be held accountable for your actions, and let's just hope they believe it" he pulls back and straightens out my hair "Do you understand?" he asks.

I nod "Has someone warned Cat?" I ask, because truthfully that's why we did what we did. Neither one of us wanted the other to die, for the sake of them. The best thing I can hope for though is that Cat has been warned just as I have before we enter the snake pit.

"They are doing it now" he says.

"Good" I say as I straighten out a bow tie that must have been forced onto him. He leads me to the metal circle and places a light kiss on my forehead.

"This is your night, Jade. So enjoy it" he walks away into the gloom, leaving me alone once again. I tug on my skirt out of lack of anything else to do; it really is a shame about the colour. I can feel shudders all the way through my body; all I can put it down to is nerves, as Erwin said this is my night.

I can smell the damp earth below me, and dread fills my body as I fear that the boards above my head will collapse and bury me alive. When I won the games, when those trumpets played, I was supposed to be safe. The rest of my life should have been cosy and comfy. But if what Erwin has said is true and he has no reason to lie then I have never been in more danger than I am now.

In the arena the worst that could happen was death, but now. Taylor, my mother, everyone in district 12 everyone I care about could be in danger and the same can be said from Cat's side. A whole world of misery could be thrust onto us if we can't make them believe how much we love each other.

I don't think Cat realised the consequence of her actions, when she got out the berries, and planned the suicide. It wasn't supposed to do anything other than outsmart the game makers, there is no way Cat could have foreseen this. The Hunger Games are the capitols weapon, and Cat and I defeated it. So the capitol only have one choice, to act like they are in control, but that can only happen if Cat and I play along. But right now Cat and I will have to take part in the most dangerous part of the games yet.

The anthem booms out into my ears, and I hear Sinjin Vancleef greet the audience. Surely he knows about this, and surely he will try to help us as he did before. The crowd breaks into applause and whistles as the prep teams walk onto the stage, there will be both mine and Cat's walking around now. I can only imagine how excited they are.

The Bernadette and Cat's escort walk onto the stage. How happy Bernadette must be about my winning, and as clueless as she may seem, she has a very keen instinct and I am sure that she suspects the trouble I am in.

Harley and Euphemia receive a great reception from the crowed for their hard work. It is now that I understand the dress. It is imperative that I look as young, innocent and girly as possible. The mentor's appearance brings a round of stomping and cheers that last around five minutes. It's a great accomplishment for any mentor to have their tribute win, but Erwin, is the only mentor for 12 and is the only other person from our district to have won; I feel that most of the applause goes out to him.

What if Erwin hadn't have warned me? Would I have gone out there with a sarcastic brassy attitude and thrown Cat's idea in their faces? Most likely, but would I have been so keen to talk about mine and Cat's relationship, probably not, they saw what happened. But now, I need to get this dead on, and right now I need to play up to this as much as I can because the plate beneath my feet is moving.

I am blinded by lights, and the sound of the audience's cheers deafens me, and rattles the plate under my feet. And then there's Cat stood just a few meters away from me. She looks, so clean, and beautiful, and pure, it's hard to recognise her without the muck and grime on her face. She like me only has a light amount of make up on, and also wears a dress that hugs her figure.

Whereas I appear to be glowing in a dim candle light, she looks like a small diamond, cleaned and polished to perfection. She smiles at me, and it's the warm smile, that makes me respond with a smile of my own, one that seems to come to my lips only for Cat. I take about three hobbled steps before I drag her into my arms nearly sending us both to the floor. The audience goes mad for this, and we stand kissing each other not being able to stop. Cat pulls her away from me, the huge smile still stamped on her face.

She has been told how much danger we are in that much I know, and though she is smiling something hides in her eyes, and it's the same sense fear that strikes through my body. Sinjin taps my shoulder, to continue with the show.

Cat pushes him to the side and once again she has once again won over the audience. Erwin, interrupts us, giving me a quick shove to the victors chair, he points, silently telling Cat to move to.

Usually there is just one chair that sits alone; this is where the winning tribute watches the highlights of the games. But since there are two of us, the game makers have provided a plush red sofa, it's only small, Cat sit's so close to me, she is practically sat in my lap. But with looks from Erwin, and Cat's mentor it is plain to see that this isn't enough. Cat places her head on my shoulder, and I rest my head on hers, she kicks off her shoes and tucks her legs up beside her. I wrap my arms around her waist; it feels like we are back in the cave, cuddling up to each other for warmth. Sinjin makes a few jokes and then he continues with the show. This interview will last three hours, no more and no less. It is mandatory for everyone in Panem to watch this.

The seal flashes on the screen, and I realise how unprepared I am. I don't want to see the other twenty-two tributes die; I saw enough of them die the first time around. I know that the only thing keeping me here is, Cat.

I don't know how anyone else has managed to face this alone. During the highlights they periodically show the victors reaction on a box in the top corner, I think back to previous years, I have seen people, pumping their fists, triumphantly and beating on their chests, but mainly people just seem stunned.

Of course, the previous victors don't have the capitol watching their every move, looking for a way to destroy them. Diluting weeks-worth of air time into three hours is something of a challenge, especially when you think of all the cameras they had rolling.

Whoever puts together the highlights, has to decide what type of story they want to tell, this year they will tell a love story. I know that Cat and I won but, the ratio is out, a disproportionate amount of time is spent on us. Right from the beginning, I can't complain really, the more time spent on us the less time there is spent on deaths. Not only that, but it does support our crazy-in-love thing.

Roughly the first half an hour is spent on the pre-events such as, the reaping, the chariot ride, the training scores and the interview. They have this happy go lucky, up-beat song playing in the background making it more awful, because more than half of the people on screen are dead.

Once we are in the arena, there is a great amount of detail on the bloodbath. And then the film makers pretty much go from shots of tributes dying to Cat and I. Right from the moment she found me, and fed me, and gave me a drink to stop me from dying, they show us running away from the fire, her patting out the flames on my leg with her bare hands, and then they show our first kiss that we shared in the water.

And from then, they show the pair of us, as a team, as allies. Her pointing out the tracker jacker nest to me, then they show me blowing up the supplies while Cat hunted, they show me finding Robbie, and they play his death in full, the spear piercing his body, my knife flying through the neck of the boy from five, and my song. I sing the full song, every note of it, the only thing they have missed off if the send-off I gave him, and that's only because it can be misconstrued as rebellion.

Things seems to pick up again from there, after they announce that two people can win, they show Cat and I growing stronger and stronger, Cat helping me when my hip got infected, me nursing Cat back to health when she got ill. They show me going down to the feast for her medicine. There is no denying that Cat and I have feelings for each other, just by the kiss we shared the night in the cave, the night when Erwin sent us the ice cubes, they show that in full too, every minute of it, until we settled down to sleep.

Everything I am watching feels like it is happening to other people, even Ryder's death and the mutts I watch them as if I have never met this boy, as if I have never seen any of it before.

And then comes the moment with the berries. I can hear people shushing one and other not wanting to miss anything, a wave of gratitude to the film makers pours over me when I see that they don't stop the film after the announcement of our victory, they stop it after they have seen Cat being dragged away from the glass doors of the hospital kicking and screaming.

In terms of mine and Cat's relationship, I would say that this is one of the most pivotal parts of all. The anthem plays and we rise as President Wood walks onto the stage followed by a small girl carrying a cushion with the crown on it, and there is just the one, you can hear the confusions in the audiences hushed voice as they murmur about who they think it will be given to, that is until President Wood, twists and it halves creating a second crown.

He walks towards us, and he places the first crown on my head, he is smiling but there is a look in his eyes that tells me he isn't happy with anything we have done, he places the second crown on Cat's head and he holds the same look, his face is just inches away from hers. Something triggers inside me, and all I can think is; have we done enough?

Much bowing and cheering follows this, I feel my arm is about to drop off from waving when Sinjin Vancleef bids the audience good night. Cat and I are whisked to the president's mansion. This is where we will have our victory banquet. We have very little if any time at all to eat, as Capitol officials and sponsors are elbowing each other out of the way for pictures. Beaming faces keep passing by; this becomes tedious as the evening wears on. Occasionally, I catch a glimpse of Erwin, this to me is reassuring, but when I catch a glimpse of President Wood, I feel nothing but fear.

But I keep laughing and smiling and thanking people as they come to us for pictures, Cat does the same, though she does it effortlessly, it takes a lot of trying on my part. One thing I make sure I do, is keep hold of Cat's hand.

_**A/N: **__ I hope you like this chapter, as promised it is posted early, and the next one will be up within the next few days__ again. Please continue to read and review it means so much to me, thank you if __you have already reviewed I really do appreciate it, so keep them coming please I appreciate all comments and opinions (good or bad)_


	22. Chapter 22

**22**

The sun is just peaking over the horizon as we make our way back to the lobby to get the lifts, Cat will have to stay on the first floor tonight, and I on the twelfth, though I can't bring myself to leave her, not now, not again.

I feel that maybe Cat and I may get some time to talk to each other but she is whisked away from me by Euphemia. "Why can't I talk to her?" I ask Erwin, as he comes to stand next to me. He sighs, and rubs the bald patch on his head sleepily.

"You will have plenty of time to speak to her, I am sure of it. Now go to bed, you are on air at two" his voice is still, calm, and there is a slight smile on his lips as he speaks to me. I walk to my room, without another word, but I am determined to see Cat.

I toss and turn in bed for a while, but when I have no luck falling asleep, I decide on going to see Cat, the first place I think to check is the roof, this is where she came when she was nervous before the games, what's stopping her being there now. I get onto the roof, and see nothing, other than darkness, even the lights from the street seems to be gone.

I sigh and walk back to my room for a while, but then I decide to sneak out to the lift and go to the first floor to see Cat. I get to my door and turn on the handle, but I have no luck. My door has been locked from the outside, at first I suspect Erwin, but in reality it could be anyone. I have a strong gut feeling that the capitol want to monitor my every move, starting now.

I walk back to my bed sombrely, and pretend to sleep, until Bernadette wakes me, saying we have a "Busy, busy, busy day!"

I have five minutes to eat something before the prep team come to get me and all I have to say is "They loved you!" and they hear nothing more from me, no questions are asked. I can remain silent for the next few hours.

When Harley makes his appearance, he shoos them away and dresses me in a black lacy dress, and black shoes it's the comfiest I have felt for days, I feel more like myself while I am wearing this. He adjusts my make-up, making my face look as young and innocent as it had last night.

We talk idly, but I am too scared to ask him about anything of real importance. Because after my door was locked, I have a feeling that I am being watched constantly, I wonder if Cat is experiencing the same thing.

The interview takes place down the hall from where I am, meaning Cat has to take the lift she is already seated in the sofa when I get there. It's the same seat from last night, but now it is surrounded by red and pink roses. There are only a few cameras to record this event, and much to my liking no live audience. When Sinjin sees me he gives me a warm hug "Well done, Jadelyn, how are you feeling?" he asks.

"Okay" I say with a small smile, it's a false one, but it's the best they can hope for "I am a little nervous about the interview though" I say with a shrug. A little nervous is an understatement, I don't know what to say or do, anything could spark something in the capitol, one false move and it could e game over.

"Don't be. We are going to have a great time" he smiles.

"I don't really like talking about myself" I admit.

"Don't worry, nothing you say will be wrong" he says, trying to calm my nerves. If only he was right, if only Cat and I could speak freely. For all Cat and I know, President Wood, may already have something planned for us, as we speak.

Then there's Cat, looking amazing in a royal blue dress pulling me off to the side "I hardly get to see you" she says "Felicia seems keen on keeping us apart"- I am guessing 'Felicia' is Cat's mentor- well actually they are more keen on keeping us alive, but there are too many people around for us to get into that.

"Yeah" I say "Everything seems so much more reserved and responsible than it did before" I say with a shrug.

"Well" she shrugs and smiles "There's this and then we can go home, and then they can't keep watching us all the time" she says.

I purse my lips "Yeah, and you'll be in District 1 and I'll be in District 12 and we won't even see each other" I say, it pains me to say this.

Cat nods "Yeah, I know, I'll be in 1 and you'll be in 12" she says, sadness takes over her voice and eyes. "But at least we will have the Victory tour, and we will be able to make visits right?" she asks "I mean, that is if you want to" she adds. I can't believe that after everything, she would question me wanting to see her. I have no time to reply to Cat because they are ready for us.

We sit somewhat formally on the seat, though Sinjin seems all too keen on us cuddling up together, he keeps telling us to make ourselves more comfortable. "Go ahead" he says "I don't mind, it looked sweet" he says.

I smile at him, but still Cat and I remain sitting the way we were, we sit close just not as close as we could be, I never let go of her hand though I keep it locked in mine safely. Someone counts backwards and then we are live on the air.

Sinjin as usual helps a great deal, he is friendly, and makes jokes. He has the same easy relationship with Cat as he has from the start, she answers most of the questions, occasionally I have to speak, but I usually redirect the questions back to, Cat- she's better at this stuff than me.

But soon Sinjin starts asking questions of much more importance "So, Jade" he begins "When did you first realise that you had feelings for Cat? I mean, after all, you instigated the first kiss" he says. He has a huge smile on his face, as he asks me this question.

I sit and think for a moment before I answer " I think" I start "It was pretty much straight away, from the first day I saw her really" I say, and I see Erwin give a sigh of relief, and I know I have done something right.

"Ahh" says Sinjin "Love at first sight" he smiles before turning his attention to Cat "So then Cat" he says looking at the small girl who sits beside me clutching onto my hand. "When did you realise you loved Jade?"

"I think it was when I found her laying near the bushes, and I had to help her" she says her voice is soft, and seems to be lost in thought as she remembers the day she saved me "All I know is that day and every day since then, I would do anything to keep her alive and safe from harm, I can't lose her" she says. And once again Erwin sighs and so does Felicia and I know we have both done something right. Sinjin lays a hand on his chest, showing we have moved him.

I turn to face Cat and I smile at her, my grip on her hand tightens. I don't ever want to lose her, I won't lose her. Cat mentioning harm brings Sinjin on to all the ways we did get hurt, from burns, to stings, to wounds. And then we get onto the mutts, and my scar and my metal plate in my leg.

It's only when Sinjin mentions it that Cat says anything "What scar? What plate?" she asks looking at me from head to toe. And I know I have been lucky to escape with only a metal plate and a scar, I don't know how the doctors managed it, all I know is they did. "It's my fault" she says, I can see the sadness growing in her eyes "It's my fault because I used that tourniquet" she says.

"Cat, it could be worse, I could have lost my leg or my life… All it is is a metal plate I had put in my leg to replace some of the bone that was damaged" I say with a shrug.

"That's true" says Sinjin "Without that tourniquet she would have died" Cat buries her head in the crook of my neck, and she stays there for a while, sobbing quietly into my skin I warp my arms around her and hold her close to me. Sinjin backs off of her for a while until we come to the berries.

"Cat, I must ask you this, I know you have had a shock but. The moment you pulled out those berries, what was going through your mind?" he asks.

Cat takes a while to collect her thoughts, and then she starts to speak, and this is it, this is the moment of truth, the moment where it is said that we challenged the capitol or where we are both so madly in love we can't help what we did "I don't know" she says and her voice is only just audible "I just can't imagine life without her. I never want to live without her" she says, and that's all it needs.

"Anything to add to that Jade?" he asks.

I shake my head "No, she's good for both of us" I know we have both done right, I can see the relief on Erwin's and Felicia's faces. Not only that, but you can feel the anxiety lift from the room. That's where the interview ends. And Cat and I are sent away to prepare for when the train reaches its destinations.

Cat and I are sent a joint room, before we have to say bye to each other- well until the victory tour. I can feel the train slowing. I grip onto Cat's hand, never wanting to let go. I can feel the tears building in my eyes as we pull into the station, of District 1.

You can hear the crowd buzzing outside. All of them screaming for Cat and I, I know now that if I got off here, they would love it. If Cat and I got off the train together at the same stop, the whole of Panem would soon know, and that would be proof right?

If Cat and I decided to stay with each other, if we decided to leave everything behind, so we could be with each other, that would prove our love, and then President Wood, would have no choice but to believe it.

She stands and looks down at me, as I sit on the chair staring up into her eyes. "It'll be okay, Jade" she says "I'll visit whenever I can" she kisses me lightly on the lips; her hands are placed on either side of my face.

She tries to pull away from the short lived kiss but I pull her back towards, me. The kiss becomes more passionate, but still, it is far too short for my liking. She pulls away once again, and gives me a weak smile "Bye, Jade" she says, her voice is only just above a whisper "I love you" she says.

I look back up at her "I love you too" I say, my voice cracks slightly.

She grabs onto my hand one last time, giving it a quick squeeze. I never want her to let go of me, I never want her to leave my side. Just as I am about to open my mouth to object to her leaving, Felicia grabs her elbow and pulls her away from me. She steps off of the train, and the crowd is deafening, even though I am hidden by the metal of the train, I can hear everything. I can hear all of them shouting at her to gain her attention to get pictures, of their District 1 Victor.

I can hear people questioning where I am. It doesn't matter where I am, it matters where I should be, and the answer to that question is I should be out there with Cat, clutching onto her and never having to let go.

The train zooms away, and heads off to District 12, though I can't wait to see Taylor or my mum, and I most definitely can't wait to be back within 12 I can't help but feel like Cat should be joining me. If I'm not in 1 she should be in 12 or vice versa. Cat and I should be together.

Erwin walks into the room and takes the seat next to me. I can feel tears threatening to spill over my eyes, and trickle down my face. He wraps his arm around my shoulder "How are you feeling?" he asks softly.

I shrug at him, not really knowing how to answer the question. I miss her already, and I want to know she is safe. Who am I kidding? Of course she's safe, she's back home in District 1, with food money, and a roof over her head. But I'm on my way back to 12, to live my own life away from her.

"Everything will be fine" he says softly, pulling me slightly closer to him. "There are phones, and trains, nothing is stopping you seeing or speaking to each other" he says "Besides you have the victory tour coming up soon, and then you'll be together again"

The Victory tour, that's the next time I know for certain that I'll be seeing Cat, and I am already counting down the days.

* * *

_**A/N: **__ Here is the final chapter; I hope you have enjoyed reading this as much as I have enjoyed writing it. Thank you to everyone who has read this fic, and a huge thank you to everyone who has __reviewed, you have kept me motivated to write this story. Please read and review I appreciate all comments and opinions (good or bad) _

_P.S. I just want to say another huge thank you. I really hope you have enjoyed this story. _


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